


The Worlds You Never See

by writetherest



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate World, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-01
Updated: 2013-09-19
Packaged: 2017-11-23 06:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 39,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/619083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writetherest/pseuds/writetherest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>The lives I'll never lead / Couldn't make me sing / Could they? Could they? Could they?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>**</p><p>As soon as she had stepped through the doorway, the door closed tightly. And only then, with Regina inside, did the lines, curves, and swirls shift and move, assembling themselves into words within the heart.</p><p>  <em>The Road You Didn't Take</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been working on this fic since April. It’s been a real labor of love and now I’m finally ready to start sharing it with you all. All the thanks in the world to The Mafia, as always.
> 
> This is set right after 1x17 Hat Trick and goes AU from there.
> 
> Title, as well as lyric snippets throughout the fic, taken from the song The Road You Didn’t Take from the musical Follies.

 

_**_

_**The worlds you never see** _  
_**Still will be around,** _  
_**Won't they?** _

**

_"A real world. How arrogant are you to think yours is the only one? There are infinite more. You have to open your mind. They touch each other. Pressing up in a long line of lands, each just as real as the last. They each have their own rules. Some have magic, some don't, and some need magic."_

**

"What is _that_?"

Emma's head shot up at the tone of Regina's voice. The mayor had been in her office, droning on angrily for nearly half an hour and Emma had tuned her out after the first five minutes. Regina was enraged – to say the least – that Mary Margaret had been in her holding cell ready for the arraignment and so she'd been taking her anger out on Emma. As if that was anything new or different.

What was new and different though, was the hitch in Regina's voice when she had asked her most recent question.

Emma followed her gaze to the hat that she had made at Jefferson's, the one that had fallen out the window with him. She'd picked it up and brought it back to the station with her for reasons she couldn't quite put her finger on. She'd dropped it on the top of a shelf and promptly forgotten about it when Regina had entered in a rage. But now Regina's gaze was focused on the hat like a laser beam.

Emma frowned and replied as though she was talking to a two year old. "It's a hat, Regina. People often wear them on their heads."

"I am well aware of what it is, Miss Swan!" Regina snapped back. "What is it doing here? Where did you get it? Why do you have it?" With each question Regina moved closer to the shelf until Emma herself stood up and picked up the hat.

"It's a hat, Regina." She repeated. "Why do you care where I got it or why I have it?"

"Answer the question." Regina demanded.

Emma felt a headache coming on. She was tired and sore and in no mood for Regina's little tantrums. Plus, there was no way she was going to tell Regina where she'd gotten the hat, because if she did, then the mayor could use the information to figure out that Mary Margaret had tried to run away.

"I made it, if you must know." She bit out, moving around Regina towards the door to her office.

"You made it?" Regina sounded skeptical and Emma couldn't really blame her for that. "Why?"

 _Because a madman was holding a gun to my head!_ she wanted to shout, but she just rolled her eyes instead. "Thought I needed a new hobby." She snarked, opening the office door.

"Do not walk away from me, Miss Swan. We are not done here." Regina's voice was low and threatening.

Emma spun around and stared at her. "I don't have time for your games, Regina. I have a job to do. It's a freaking hat. Take it for all I care!"

And with an angry flick of her wrist, Emma sent the hat spinning across the room before she turned and walked out of the office.

But the hat didn't fall to the ground in front of Regina as Emma had assumed it would. Instead, it began to spin faster and faster, and Regina's eyes widened as she realized – too late – what was happening.

She tried to move backwards, to get away from the hat, but she couldn't. The vortex that had been created was already too strong and she couldn't move away from it. Instead, she was sucked into it, the world swirling and spinning around her before it all went black.

**

**_You take one road,_ **  
**_You try one door,_ **  
**_There isn't time for any more_ **

**

Regina opened her eyes, sucking in a shocked breath when she took in the hall of doors that she'd only been in once before. Although she knew when she'd fallen into the hat that this was where she'd end up, it still shocked her because it shouldn't have been possible. And the repercussions of what it meant that she was there now were reverberating wildly in Regina's brain.

If Emma had made the hat as she said, then that meant that the woman possessed magic far greater than Regina ever would've imagined - not that she'd ever imagined that she had any magic at all. This was supposed to be a land without magic, after all. And even if she hadn't made the hat, she still had magic enough to make the hat work when she threw it.

But more than dealing with what being here meant, Regina knew she needed to deal with how to get back to Storybrooke. The hat had rules - rules that Jefferson had warned her of. Same number out as in was the only one that she'd really cared about at the time of her first entrance into the hat. But now she remembered, vaguely, that in order to get out of the hat, you had to choose a door and enter a world. Only by entering a world could you leave it - and the hat - behind.

Regina's eyes scanned the doors. There were only two that she recognized - the looking glass that would lead to Wonderland and the large green door that would lead to Oz - but neither of them were options for Regina. She would not set foot back in Wonderland, not even for one second. Even thinking about going back there and possibly having to face the woman who lay beyond the glass made her shudder. And since Elphaba's death at the hands of that farm girl, Oz had been practically overrun with those annoying little munchkins and the even more annoying Glinda. No, neither of those doors were options.

She tried to discern where any of the other doors might lead, but none of them looked at all familiar. Jefferson hadn't pointed out any of the others or explained the worlds that they led to or the rules of those worlds. So she would just have to pick one and take her chances. After all, she reasoned to herself, she would only need to spend a few seconds in whichever world she picked. She would enter and exit and be back in Storybrooke in no time, where she could work out how to deal with this new found information about Emma Swan.

Turning, Regina's hand reached out, intent on opening the nearest door. But as she turned, another door caught her eye. It was a deep red, redder even than her apples, and there was some kind of a carving in it. Letting her hand drop, Regina moved closer to the red door, inspecting it. The carving was a large heart, with various lines, curves, and swirls arranged inside of it. Regina tilted her head, trying to make out what the lines could possibly symbolize, but she couldn't make any kind of sense of it.

Still, she felt somehow drawn to this door and so, after running her fingers over the carving one more time, she grasped the knob and pushed open the door. As soon as she had stepped through the doorway, the door closed tightly. And only then, with Regina inside, did the lines, curves, and swirls shift and move, assembling themselves into words within the heart.

_The Road You Didn't Take_

 


	2. Chapter 1

******

**_The door you didn't try,  
Where could it have led?_ **

******

Regina blinked against the bright sunlight that hit her eyes when she stepped through the door. Whatever this world was, it was certainly sunny. And that was all that Regina planned to learn about it, as she turned back to open the door again. But instead of the red door, Regina was met with air.

Her eyes widened and she swallowed down the panic that began to set in as she reached her hand out, hoping to feel the solid door beneath her hands. Perhaps it was camouflaged. But her hand only went through air, and no matter where her eyes went, the door didn't show up.

Spinning around, trying to look for any signs of where the door might be, Regina stopped suddenly as she noticed where she was. She was standing on a sidewalk on a street that she knew almost like the back of her hand. The clock tower loomed in front of her and Granny's stood next to her, the smell of homemade food wafting out of its open door.

Regina blinked a few times to be sure she wasn't hallucinating, but the same scene was in front of her each time. She was back in Storybrooke.

**

Perhaps, Regina thought, Emma wasn't as magical as she'd originally believed. Maybe she'd only had enough magic to activate the hat and the hall of doors, but not the other worlds within them. It would stand to reason then, that by entering a door, she was really just leaving the hat behind. Or perhaps the door she had picked - the door with the heart - could read her thoughts and knew she wanted to go back to Storybrooke.

Either way, she was back now, and that was the important thing. She glanced around, wondering if perhaps the hat would be there, but it wasn't. No matter. It was probably better that it was gone. The last thing she needed was for someone else to accidentally fall into the hat. It would only bring up questions that she wasn't prepared to answer. No, the hat was gone, she was back, and life could go on as normal.

"Hey, Regina!"

Regina's head flew up, her eyes trained on Ruby, who was smiling and waving from her place in the doorway of Granny's. The waitress had never before waved at her, let alone referred to her by her first name. Frowning, Regina ignored her. She wasn't in the mood for whatever kind of game Ruby had decided to play today. She quickly crossed the street and headed for her home.

"Have a good one!" Ruby called after her, shrugging and going back into Granny's when Regina didn't acknowledge her.

As she continued down the street, Regina came across Archie walking Pongo. The therapist smiled and nodded at her as he passed. Regina frowned again. Normally the doctor couldn't even look her in the eye. What was going on with everyone today? Why were they being so friendly?

She was nearly home when she bumped into David, who looked entirely too chipper for a man whose wife had apparently been murdered by his mistress. "Regina," he smiled at her.

"Mr. Nolan." She replied icily, trying to move past him.

"Mr. Nolan?" David asked in surprise. "What's that about?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. Nor do I have time to figure it out. I need to get home and I'm sure you have things to do as well." She huffed, already continuing on her way.

"Oh, right. Of course. I'm sure you have a lot to do before tonight." David was still smiling, even as he spoke to Regina's back. "Well, I'll see you later."

Tonight? Later? What was he talking about? How long had she been gone in the hat? Long enough for the town to go crazy, apparently.

**

Regina climbed the steps to her home, determined to take a long relaxing soak in the tub and then figure everything out. Closing the door behind her, she relaxed a bit. She was back in the safety of her fortress. Here she could forget about Emma Swan and the possible magic the woman possessed and the way everyone had been acting strangely. She would deal with all of it later. For now –

"Mommy! Mommy!"

Her musings were cut short as a small, feminine voice reached her ears a second before a tiny body hit her legs, little arms wrapping around and holding tightly. Regina felt the breath leave her body as she looked down at the little girl who was clinging to her.

She was gorgeous, with big dark eyes and black curls. Her smile was wide and beautiful. And she was looking up at Regina with adoration. "Mommy, you home early!"

Before Regina could begin to process everything that was happening, another voice floated through the house.

"Eva Marie Mills, where are you?"

Regina's eyes widened as she recognized the voice.

"Down here, Momma!"

Laughter floated down the steps, and Regina looked up to see Emma Swan coming down them. When she spotted Regina, her smile grew. "Hey you! You're home early."

_Home?_ Regina's mind stuttered to a halt at that word, so much so that she didn't even recognize that Emma was leaning towards her for a kiss until their lips were pressed together.

When she pulled back, Emma looked concerned. "Are you okay? You seem a little out of it."

"I -" was all Regina could force out, her mind still spinning.

"Momma. Henry!" Eva reminded from her place still wrapped around Regina.

"Ooh, right you are Eva Bug!" Emma laughed, reaching down and scooping the little girl up into her arms. "Eva and I are off to pick up Henry, then we will be back to help you get everything together for tonight. There's not that much left to do, so why don't you rest while we're gone, okay? You look pale." Emma reached forward and squeezed her arm.

Regina just nodded slowly, her mind still not able to process what was happening.

"We will be back soon. Love you." Emma grinned, leaning in to kiss her once again.

"Love you, Mommy!" Eva chimed as she leaned in to give her a sloppy kiss as well.

And then Emma swung the little girl around so she was riding piggy back and galloped out the door, with Eva's giggles echoing behind them.

As the door shut after them, Regina felt everything spin around her and she had to close her eyes and grip the door handle to stay upright. What the hell was happening? Why was there a little girl calling her Mommy and Emma Momma? And more importantly, why was Emma saying that she loved her and kissing her as though it was an everyday occurrence? This all had to be some kind of a joke - a sick joke that Emma had concocted to make her think she was crazy. Well, Regina wasn't going to have any of it.

Opening her eyes, she stalked toward her office. She would deal with Emma Swan once and for all. But as she walked, Regina quickly noted that things weren't right within the walls of her home. The decorations were still the same - for the most part - but there were also a lot of changes as well. The easiest to notice was the fact that there were more colors everywhere, not just her usual black and white. And there were toys and books and shoes scattered all around.

But more than those things - things that could've easily been added to throw her off - it was the pictures she noticed. Regina kept pictures around her house as all people do, but they were rather sparse - only the best prints would do - and only placed in certain areas - where visitors would see and admire them. Now, though, it seemed that pictures covered nearly every available space.

She took them in with wide eyes, trying to tell herself that they all could've been faked as well, but knowing that it wasn't true. There were pictures on the walls in the hallway of all manner, from posed, professional ones to candids. There was a gorgeous shot of her, Emma, Henry, and Eva, obviously posed and directly beside it was another shot of the four of them that Regina could tell had been taken without their knowledge. While in the first shot, she was seated with Eva on her lap, Henry beside her, and Emma behind her with her hands on her shoulders, in the other picture they were all asleep on her bed, with the kids between her and Emma and their hands intertwined over them. Regina's breath caught at that picture and it took her long moments before she could tear herself away.

_This isn't real. This can't be real._ She repeated to herself over and over in her head, even as her eyes took in more pictures. They truly were everywhere around the house and they were too much for her to process. With a quick shake of her head, Regina changed her course and headed up the stairs - ignoring the pictures that lined those walls as well - for her bedroom. Emma had said she should lay down and Regina thought that perhaps she was right. This was probably all just an insane dream and if she went to sleep, she would wake up and it would all be gone.

But even the bedroom was different when she opened the door and stepped in. There were pictures - how many pictures could they possibly need? - on the various nightstands and dressers, but more than that, it was obvious that the bedroom was occupied by two people. Emma's leather jacket was draped over the chair in the corner, her clothing and shoes were scattered on the floor, and there were various DVD cases surrounding the television. On her dresser, she saw Emma's circle pendant laying beside her jewelry.

She shook her head and quickly laid down on the bed, intent on going to sleep so that she could wake up back in her Storybrooke - in a Storybrooke where everything made sense. But even as she closed her eyes, she could smell Emma's scent on the pillows and sheets.

"It's a dream. It's just a dream." She mumbled to herself, over and over until she finally fell asleep.

 


	3. Chapter 2

"Mom. Mom!"

Regina climbed toward consciousness at the sound of Henry's voice, her mind already working. _See, it was just a dream and when I open my eyes, I'll be back in my bedroom in Storybrooke and -_

"Ma said you came home early from work and weren't feeling well. You okay?"

Regina's eyes flew open and she gasped at the sight before her. Henry was sitting on the edge of the bed, but he wasn't her Henry. Her Henry was ten years old and this boy was certainly not ten. He looked to be at least sixteen or seventeen, tall and lanky.

"Mom?" He asked again, reaching out to feel her head, as though checking for a fever.

"H-Henry?"

He laughed at that. "You got some other son I don't know about?"

"I -"

"Henry! We gots to get ready! Momma said so!"  Eva burst into the room, diving on the bed with wild giggles.

Henry scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder, tickling her sides as he did. "Oh, we do, do we?"

"Yes! Stop! Henry!" Eva laughed, pounding her little fists against his back.

"Well then, let's go get you in a dress, Princess." Henry said as he stood up.

"No! No dresses!" Eva wiggled.

"How can you be a princess if you don't wear dresses?" Henry asked seriously as he headed for the door.

"Not all princesses have to wear dresses, Henry." Regina watched as Eva's eyes rolled. "Jasmine didn't!"

Henry flipped Eva off his shoulder, so that she was cradled in his arms now. "You are absolutely right. She didn't. But what about Ariel?"

"She's a mermaid, silly! I's not a mermaid!"

"Rapunzel?"

"Too much hair! Jasmine is the bestest! And she doesn't wear dresses. 'Sides, Momma doesn't wear dresses either."

"You are right about that one, too, Munchkin."

"Henry!" Eva laughed again. "I's not a munchkin either! They's in Oz."

"Okay, Princess, no dresses and no munchkins. Let's go find you something pretty to wear." Henry looked back over his shoulder to where Regina still sat on the bed, staring at them wide-eyed. "I'll take care of getting this one ready. You gonna be okay, Mom?"

Regina swallowed. "I - yes."

Henry flashed her another smile and then headed out of the room, still teasing Eva as he went. Regina waited until they were out of sight, before she dropped back down onto the bed, her head still spinning. 

** 

"What are you doing still in bed?"

Regina looked up to find Emma coming through the bedroom door, pulling her tank top up over her head. She quickly closed her eyes against the image.

"Regina, seriously, you've gotta get dressed. People are already arriving, which, by the way, is totally your fault."

"My fault?" She sat up and opened her eyes, only to see Emma shimmying out of her skinny jeans to reveal a tiny red g-string. Her eyes closed firmly once again. "How on earth is it my fault, Miss Swan?"

"Miss Swan?" Emma's voice seemed to be coming from farther away, so Regina chanced another glance. "Oh, we so do not have time for that right now, _Madam Mayor_."

There was a twist on her title that made Regina's own stomach twist in a not altogether unpleasant way. Blonde hair peeked out from the walk in closet. "Which, also, is your fault. If you weren't so damn anal about punctuality, then people wouldn't be showing up half an hour early to the party and we might actually have time for that."

"I am not anal!" Regina scoffed angrily.

Emma laughed as she walked back into the room, fully dressed this time in fitted grey slacks and a black sequined top. "Oh, you so are."

Regina watched as she slipped on her shoes – were those actually heels? – before grabbing her jewelry off the dresser. At least this Emma appeared to be a better dresser than the other one.

"Seriously, Regina, you need to get ready. Henry's got Eva and I can handle mingling around, but it's your party. Everyone wants to see you."

"I highly doubt that."

"Oh stop." Emma smirked as she crawled onto the bed. "Here, let me help you get undressed."

As soon as Emma's hands skimmed over the bottom of Regina's top, she quickly pushed the other woman away. "I can get dressed just fine on my own, without your help."

Emma just shrugged and rolled off the bed. "Suit yourself. But my way would've been way more fun." She wrapped her arms around Regina and kissed her on the cheek. "See you down there."

Regina jumped and gasped as Emma slapped her ass before she exited the room.

"Okay, Regina," she blew out a long breath while taking in her reflection in the mirror, "it's time to wake up now." 

** 

"Mommy!"

Regina flinched at the little body that plowed into her for a second, before she looked down to take in the sight of Eva, wrapped around her.

"Mommy, why is you not dressed yet?"

"Why are you not dressed yet?" Regina corrected automatically.

Eva laughed. "Momma says she needs you. Can I help you get dressed?"

Regina eyed the little girl with trepidation. "I – I suppose so."

"Yay!" Eva jumped up and down in excitement for a few moments before she raced for the closet. A moment later she came out carrying a red dress. "Wear this, Mommy!"

"This?" Regina took it from Eva and held it up. It was an excellent choice, she had to say. At least her daughter had gotten her fashion sense from her and not from Emma.

"Yeah! Momma loves red!"

An image of a red g-string floated through Regina's mind before she quickly shook her head. "If this is what you want me to wear, then I will."

Eva clapped her little hands in excitement. Regina quickly changed into the dress and slid on a pair of heels before stopping at her vanity to check her makeup. Once again she felt little arms wrap around her legs. "You're so pretty, Mommy."

Blinking back sudden moisture that she was sure was from poking herself with the mascara brush, Regina looked down at Eva. The little girl's expression was open and honest and for one moment reminded Regina of another little girl who had looked at her in adoration. She quickly shook her head. "You are very pretty too, little one."

"Momma says that's 'cause I look like you."

Eva's arms reached up and Regina found herself lifting the little girl into her arms in a gesture that was far easier than it should've been. "Well, in that at least, your momma is right."

Eva giggled and planted a sloppy kiss on Regina's cheek. "Let's go to the party, Mommy!"

Regina gave a small nod and headed for the door. With Eva in her arms, it felt like nothing bad could happen. And besides, this was all just a dream anyway.

**

"There you are! Ma was about to send the SWAT team after you. You know she doesn't like having to play hostess." Henry chided from the bottom of the stairs. "Which is probably exactly why you took so long, huh?"

Regina looked down to find her son – her suddenly seventeen year old son and she still wasn't over that – standing at the bottom of the stairs with his arms wrapped around a pretty girl. She had one small braid down the left side of her hair and Regina's foot slipped as she realized that she'd seen that hairstyle on one other little girl.

"Whoa. Careful, Mom." Henry reached out to steady her, while the girl caught Eva, who had started to tumble forward.

"Paige!" Eva giggled, and Regina felt her knees begin to give out.

"Mom, are you okay?" Henry questioned, his arm still around her waist.

"Yes. I – I'm fine." Regina forced herself to speak, even as she tried to wrap her head around the fact that Henry was apparently dating – or at the very least friends with – Paige.

"Eva!" A little voice called out and soon another little girl raced over, blonde hair flying behind her. "Let's go play!"

Eva wiggled out of Paige's arms and quickly grabbed onto her friend. "Okay, Abby!" She giggled as the two girls raced away.

"Abigail, no running in the house." Regina's eyes widened at the sound of the voice gently scolding the little girl, as well as her name, before her legs finally did give out at the sight of the blonde coming around the corner.

"Kathryn."

"Mom!" Henry guided her slumped form to the steps.

"Regina, are you alright?" Kathryn rushed over to her. "What happened?"

"I – you –" _you're supposed to be dead_ , is what she wanted to blurt out, but she bit down hard on her lip to keep the words in.

"Emma said you weren't feeling well. Did you get dizzy?"

"She nearly fell on the way down the stairs and she's been kind of woozy ever since." Henry said as he once again checked for a temperature. "I don't know what's going on."

_Neither do I_ , Regina thought helplessly as Kathryn and Henry fussed over her.

 "Henry, I think you'd better go rescue Emma." Kathryn said. "Mary Margaret is trying to help her, but between the kids and the food and everyone arriving, I think she's close to a nervous breakdown."

_She's not the only one_.

"Plus, I think she might be needed out here."

At that, Regina shook her head and stood. "No. No, I'm fine."

Henry and Kathryn both tried to protest, but Regina ignored them, straightening herself and heading for the kitchen. She would go see exactly what was going on in this world and then she would figure out what her next move needed to be.

** 

Emma was in the kitchen, pulling things out of the refrigerator and humming to herself when Regina walked in.  She didn't appear to be anywhere near a nervous breakdown, at least to Regina's eye, but there was something just a little frantic in her movements as she shuffled trays of food around.

She turned at the sound of Regina's heels on the floor and a look of relief flashed across her face. "There you are. Thank god!" But then a look of concern replaced it. "Are you okay?"

"She nearly fell down the stairs." Henry supplied as he came into the kitchen, Eva perched on his back and Abby on Paige's.

"What?" Emma shoved the tray of food in her hands onto the counter and quickly moved over to Regina.

"I'm fine." Regina protested, shooting a glare at her son, who was chasing Paige around the table, the girls on their backs laughing wildly.

"She also got woozy once she got downstairs."

"Henry, enough!" Regina snapped, causing Henry and Paige to halt in their chase, just as someone else walked into the room.

"What's going on in here?" Came Jefferson's voice and Regina turned to find him moving toward Paige, staring at Regina the entire time. Her heart started pounding at the sight.

"Nothing, Daddy. Henry and I were just playing with the girls and Regina isn't feeling well." Paige supplied and Regina once again felt her knees shaking as Paige referred to Jefferson as 'daddy'.

Emma put a steadying hand on Regina's back as she addressed the rest of the group in the kitchen. "Henry, Paige, please take the girls outside to play, okay? It's too much in here, and there's more room outside."

"Sure, Ma."

"Of course, Emma. Sorry." Paige smiled as she bounced Abby a bit before heading for the glass door leading to the back door.

"Jefferson." Emma's voice was warning as she moved just slightly in front of Regina. "Regina isn't feeling well and she was speaking to our son, not Paige. So please, take some of these trays of hors d'oeuvres and go outside."

Jefferson moved toward the trays, but still looked at Regina with untrusting eyes.

"Jefferson."

He shook his head and smiled at Emma. "Okay, okay, sorry."

"Yeah, yeah."

"By the way, we have got to talk about those shoes, missy." He grinned at her as he scooped up two trays and headed for the back door. "They're to die for."

"Aren't they?" Emma grinned. "We'll do tea." She offered with a wink.

Regina waited for Jefferson to explode at the reference, but instead he merely laughed. "How's tomorrow? I've got some new hats that I just have to show you!"

"We'll figure our schedules out later." Emma shooed him away. "Food, outside, now."

"Yes, your majesty," he mock bowed at them as he reached the door, then turned just as it opened. "Ah, perfect timing Mary Margaret, thank you."

"Of course." Mary Margaret smiled, before a wail was heard from her arms.

"Oh no. What's the matter, Mr. Man?" Emma moved over to retrieve the baby from Mary Margaret's arms, rocking and cooing at him.

"I think he needs a change. Do you mind if I -?"

Emma laughed as she handed the baby back to Mary Margaret. "Not at all. As long as I don't have to do the dirty work."

Mary Margaret smiled. "Could you also just keep an eye out on James?" Regina's stomach clenched. "David's supposed to be watching him, but he and Sean and Fred were talking about starting a game of horseshoes, so you know how that goes."

Emma nodded. "Henry and Paige are out playing with the girls, so I'm sure he's found them, but I'll keep an eye out just in case."

Mary Margaret gave Emma a warm smile. "You're a lifesaver, Emma."

Emma watched Mary Margaret and the baby disappear before she turned back to Regina. "I'm sorry. Things are crazy, as always, and I didn't have my master party planner to help me. But I think they'll be okay for a bit now that Jefferson got the food out and David's starting games." She moved over to Regina, reaching out to check her forehead before squeezing her shoulder. "What's going on with you?"

Regina flinched away. "Nothing."

"Okay, Cranky." Emma teased, before she got a more serious look on her face. "But really, you'd tell me if something was wrong, right?"

Regina rolled her eyes. What was she supposed to say? That this was an entirely different world, that nothing was as it should be, that Jefferson was supposed to be separated from Paige not being called 'daddy' by her, that Kathryn was supposed to be dead not alive with a child, that Mary Margaret was supposed to be incarcerated and miserable not happily married to David, and that she certainly wasn't supposed to be with Emma in any capacity. "Of course." She snapped instead.

Emma flinched just the slightest bit before she turned back to the counter to grab the last tray of food. She also reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a glass of champagne, which she handed off to Regina. "Come on, we better get out there before Leroy drinks all the beer."

Regina followed Emma with a frown, listening as the blonde once again started humming softly to herself. She stopped a few seconds later, turning back to Regina. "If you start to feel sick again, tell me, okay? If this is going to be too much for you, I –"

"I'm fine." Regina huffed again, pushing past Emma and out onto the patio, slamming into someone as she did.

"Oh! Regina, I'm so sorry." Came a female voice and when Regina looked up, her glass slipped from her hands, shattering on the concrete floor of the patio.

"Are you alright, dearie?" The man standing beside the woman asked.

Emma had just enough time to drop the tray she was holding and catch Regina as she fell backwards in a dead faint. Everyone's eyes turned towards the patio to take in the sight.

"Mom!" "Mommy!" Henry and Eva exclaimed together.

"Oh my god, did I do that?"

"No, Belle," Emma offered the worried woman a reassuring smile, "she hasn't been feeling well all day. It's not your fault."

"Ma, what's going on?" Henry asked as he came to their side. She could easily read the worry on his face and the fear on Eva's from where she was still clutching onto Henry's back. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine." Emma assured, even as she picked Regina up so she was in a bridal hold. "I think she's just exhausted and has a touch of the flu. I'll take her up to bed. I'm sure once she's had some rest, she'll be fine, okay?"

"Promise, Momma?" Eva's voice cracked.

Emma leaned over and kissed her nose. "I promise, baby. Now, go on and play, huh?"

Henry looked at his mother carefully once more, searching for any signs of a lie before he finally relented and headed back down to the yard.

"What can we do?"

"Just enjoy the party, okay? I'll be back down in a few minutes."

"Here, let me help you, Boss." Ruby winked as she moved past Emma into the house, pushing open doors as she went.

"Thanks, Rubes." Emma smiled weakly at her as they finally reached their bedroom.

"Of course. I'll go keep the party going. You just worry about her."

Carefully, Emma laid Regina out on the bed, thankful when she began to stir. "Hey," she breathed out in relief, "you gave me quite a scare down there. You okay?"

Regina moaned and blinked, the word coming out before she could stop it. "Belle?"

"Belle's fine. She's worried that she caused you to pass out, but otherwise fine." Emma assured, stroking Regina's hair. But it wasn't the reassurance that Regina hoped for. If Belle was here, if she was with Gold, then – Regina pushed up, but the room spun around her.

"Whoa. Uh uh. You're down for the count, lady." Emma told her, pushing her back gently. "No more party for you. You need to get some rest."

"No, I –"

"Regina. This isn't a game. I'm not teasing here. You looked out of it this afternoon, you almost fell down the stairs earlier, you passed out a few minutes ago. This isn't up for discussion. You're staying up here and sleeping. I'll deal with the party and everyone. No one is going to think you're a bad host. Although if I find out you're faking all this just to get out of the party –" Emma offered her a smile then. "Seriously, we'll get you out of those clothes and then you're going to bed."

"No." Regina moved further away from Emma, even as her heart quickened at the concern the blonde was showing her. "I – I will do it myself. You need to deal with the guests."

It was the right thing to say as Emma stood up. "Okay. You're sure you're okay? Because Ruby could totally –"

"Go." Regina waved her away weakly.

"Okay." Emma leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Feel better."

Regina waited until she was sure Emma was gone before she moved over to the window to look out into the backyard. It was the strangest sight she'd ever seen - even stranger than Emma taking the chainsaw to her apple tree - to have all of these people that she'd cursed, that she'd despised, happily laughing and having a party in her backyard, as though it was a common, everyday occurrence.

She watched the children running around happily. She could pick out Henry and Eva easily, as well as Paige and the little blonde that was apparently Kathryn's daughter. Abigail. She frowned at that. There was another blonde girl who looked to be about 7 and a little boy of around 6. From their looks alone, she knew that the blonde would be Cinderella's – Ashley, here, she reminded herself – daughter, Alexandra. And the little boy was without a doubt the son of Mary Margaret and David. James, she had called him. Again, Regina frowned. There were also two other children that looked to be Henry's age, a boy and a girl. Ava and Nicholas. Hansel and Gretel.

It was too much, too many worlds in her head all converging. She'd scoffed at Jefferson when he'd begged her to erase his memories in those first years in her Storybrooke, to do to him as she had to all the others. She'd laughed when he swore that remembering was the worst curse imaginable. She knew it wasn't the truth. Remembering was nothing. It was not having someone that was the worst curse. It was his not having Grace that was driving him crazy, not remembering.

But now, as she looked at these people, as she remembered not only who they had been in the other world, but who'd they been in her Storybrooke, and tried to place them as they were in this version, she realized that maybe Jefferson hadn't been wrong. That maybe remembering, holding more than one world in your head, was a curse all of its own.


	4. Chapter 3

Regina heard the door to the bedroom open hours later and made sure to keep her eyes closed and her breathing steady. She didn't want Emma to know she was awake. She intended to fall asleep and wake up back in her Storybrooke in the morning. She was still convinced that this was all just a weird dream.

"Is Mommy dead?" Eva's little voice trembled.

"No, Eva Bug, she's just sleeping." Emma assured quietly. "In the morning, she'll feel much better, I'm sure."

"Can I give her a kiss goodnight?"

"We have to be quiet so we don't wake her up. But sure."

Regina heard them approach the bed and then she felt Eva's lips pressing against her forehead and heard the little girl whisper to her. "Goodnight, Mommy. Feel better. I love you."

She waited until she heard Emma move away before she squeezed her eyes even tighter, damning the tears that were threatening her eyes. She considered them only more proof that this was all just a dream. Regina Mills didn't cry.

Another set of quiet footsteps approached and Regina almost gasped at the sound of Henry's voice. "Night, Mom. Love you." He too pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving.

Then, finally, she heard Emma come back into the room, moving around and undressing before finally slipping under the covers. She did her best not to flinch when she felt the heat from Emma's body, knowing that the other woman was so close. She could feel Emma's eyes on her and tried to will herself to sleep.

Soon Emma was humming softly, the same song from earlier, the one that Regina couldn't place. She knew she'd heard it before, but her brain couldn't seem to bring up the lyrics. It was a rather comforting sound, if she let herself think about it, which she tried not to do. It wasn't like she'd ever been sung to sleep before, even if Emma already thought she was asleep, but again, she tried not to dwell on those things. When Emma's fingers began slowly threading through her hair though, she couldn't stop herself from flinching in surprise.

"Shh." Emma whispered, into the darkness, stretching her reassuring words out with humming in between in such a soothing manner that Regina did soon find herself fading off to sleep. "It's okay. It's just me. I got you. I won't let anything happen to you. You're safe. Just sleep. Just sleep."

**

At the sound of the alarm clock, Regina jerked awake, hoping against hope that she was back in her bed in her Storybrooke. Then she felt lean arms tighten around her.

"Mm, not time to get up yet, 'Gina." Emma mumbled against her neck, her lips brushing over Regina's skin every so often.

_No, no, no_. Regina struggled to shut off the alarm and remove herself from Emma's arms. "Yes, it is."

"Just a few more minutes." Emma begged, pulling the mayor back against her, while slipping one of her legs between Regina's.

"Emma!" Regina gasped as she quickly untangled herself and tried to get off the bed, effectively knocking Emma off the other side.

"Well good morning to you too." Emma grouched as she sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes and for just that moment, Regina had to admit she looked kind of adorable.

"Momma!" Came the shout down the hall. "I can't find my clicky shoes!"

"Uhh." Emma pushed herself up off the floor. "I guess that means you get first shower. I'll start the coffee and make sure Henry is up and moving. Why did we decide to have kids again?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around Regina and kissed her shoulder until Eva called out again. With a sigh, she untangled herself. "Coming, Eva Bug."

Regina watched as she slipped on a robe, covering up the barely there tank top and pair of boy shorts Emma had been wearing. Then she shook her head and headed for the shower.

**

As the water beat down on her, Regina tried to gather her thoughts. Obviously this whole thing had to do with the hat. While she'd thought before that there hadn't been enough magic to activate it, now she knew better. The hat had worked and the door she had chosen had taken her to some alternate version of Storybrooke where she was in a relationship with Emma. But why had the door back to her world not been there? And how was she to get back to it without the door?

There was only one solution Regina could think of. She had no idea what hat it was that Emma had, but Regina knew just where Jefferson's original hat was. A smirk slipped across her features as she thought of the hat that she'd kept and managed to bring with her after she'd cast the curse. Sometimes it paid to be bad.

She would gather the hat from its hiding place today, Regina decided as she poured body wash on her shower puff. She was just massaging it up into a nice lather, when wet arms slid around her body.

"I'll wash your back, if you wash mine." Emma's voice purred in her ear.

Instantly, she jolted away, gasping at the feelings coursing through her from having Emma so near. Emma, who was oh so naked and oh so wet. Regina lunged out of the shower and grabbed a towel, quickly wrapping it around herself.

"What are you doing?" Emma laughed from within the shower. "Get back in here."

"N-no. I'm done. I need to get ready for work."

"Regina!" Emma whined, but she just quickly headed out of the bathroom.

Emma was on her heels a moment later. She had, thankfully, grabbed a towel to wrap around herself, but it was doing very little to help Regina calm down.

 "Hey. What is going on with you today?" Emma spun her around by the arm, staring at her.

Regina stared back defiantly. "There is nothing going on with me. I am fine."

Emma let her arm drop, a defeated look on her face. "So it's a doubting day, then?" She ran a hand over her wet face and through her dripping hair. "I thought we'd gotten over these."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Regina said, truthfully. She had no idea what a doubting day was or why the thought of it made Emma look like someone had punched her in the gut.

"Don't." Emma shook her head, sending droplets of water scattering. "It's okay. It's fine. I just – I just forgot, I guess, what it felt like. It's been a while."

She exhaled and moved closer, reaching out and grabbing Regina's hand and giving it a hard squeeze. "Coffee's on downstairs." She said before letting go and heading back toward the bathroom, where the water of the shower was still running. She stopped just inside the door and looked back. "And, Regina? I do love you."

Regina could only watch her as she shut the bathroom door, unable to respond to the words or the myriad of emotions that had played behind them.

**

Henry and Eva were already in the kitchen eating waffles when Regina made it down the stairs.

"Look Mommy, Momma found my clicky shoes!" Eva grinned, syrup dripping from her chin as she kicked her feet up to show off the little tap shoes that adorned them.

"I see that." Regina offered her a half smile, still trying to figure out who could've possibly cooked breakfast as she poured herself a cup of coffee. Emma had said she would put the coffee on, but was it possible she cooked the kids' breakfast too? And if she did, was the food even edible? It certainly smelled good, and Henry and Eva were eating it with vigor, but she'd never imagined that Emma Swan would be able to cook.

"Ma left your breakfast in the fridge." Henry offered as he popped another piece of waffle in his mouth.

Blinking at that information, Regina turned to the refrigerator and pulled it open, surprised to find a grapefruit that had been cut in quarters arranged around a small bowl of fruit salad. It was her typical breakfast, but the fact that Emma knew that and had prepared it still managed to catch her off guard.

She pulled it out and placed it at her usual spot at the head of the table before turning to fix her coffee. She caught sight of Emma coming down the back stairs and faltered just a bit. Her hair was dry, falling in golden ringlets around her shoulders, and she was wearing not her usual jeans and tank top, but instead an actual uniform – or as close to one as Emma would get. The dark slacks hugged her curves and the fitted dress shirt, complete with tie, looked delicious on her. Her badge was secure on her belt as usual and her station issued boots shone under the bright lights in the kitchen. Regina found her mouth going dry at the image before her, although she frowned just a bit when she noticed the look on Emma's face.

"Momma, the waffles are ummy!" Eva called and just like that, the look was gone, replaced with a wide smile for the little girl.

"They are, huh? Lemme taste."

"No, Momma, get your own!" Eva tried to pull her fork away, but Emma grabbed her around the waist, tickling as she pulled the fork to her mouth and stole a piece of waffle.

"Mmm, they are pretty ummy, huh?" She winked, kissing Eva's cheek.

"Now I's all sticky!" Eva protested.

"Sticky kisses for everyone!" Emma laughed, coming over to plant a syrupy kiss on Henry's forehead before moving toward Regina.

"If you come one step closer, Miss Swan," Regina began and Emma stopped, frowning briefly before she turned away.

"You ready for your history test today, kid?" She asked, focusing on Henry, who was wiping his forehead with a napkin and staring quizzically at his mother.

"Yeah, sure. But, what –"

Emma just shook her head and Henry stopped whatever line of questioning he was about to begin. "Good. You okay to walk to school today?"

"Sure." He nodded, his eyes still moving between his mothers.

"Alright, Eva Bug, finish up so that I can drop you at Mary Margaret's before work. Kathryn will be by to pick you up and take to you to dance class with Abby after lunch and then I'll pick you up after, okay?"

"Yay!" Eva grinned, clicking her tap shoes together. "I gets to help with Le'pold 'fore dance!"

At the sound of that name coming from her daughter's lips – even if it had been mispronounced – and the realization that it was more than likely the name of the baby Mary Margaret had been carrying the night before, Regina felt her coffee mug slip out of her hand and hit the floor, shattering.

"Damn it!" She gasped, jumping back away from the flying porcelain and scalding liquid.

The other three all jumped, but Emma quickly moved into action. "Yes, sweetie, you'll get to help with Leo." She said as she moved over to where Regina stood, grabbing the washcloth on the way.

"Mommy, is you okay?" Eva asked, looking wide eyed at her mother.

Regina found she couldn't answer. Her throat was tight and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"Mommy's fine, Eva. She's just trying to be more clumsy like Momma this morning." Henry winked, standing up and gathering their dishes. "Come on, let's go get your things together for dance class."

"Thanks, kid." Emma smiled gratefully at him as she picked up the pieces of the broken mug, watching him carry Eva out of the room.

Regina could make out the words 'World's', 'Greatest', and 'Mom' on some of the broken pieces Emma dumped into the trash can.

"I'm sorry." Emma said as soon as the kids were out of the room. "I keep trying to tell her to call him Leo, but she thinks the name is funny and… I'm sorry."

Regina felt her throat tighten once again. Emma knew. She knew about the name, about the man, about Regina's feelings about him. She didn't know to what extent Emma was aware of Leopold, but she knew at least part of it. How could that be? How could she have ever told her about any of it?

"I –" She couldn't get anything else out.

"Hey," Emma met her gaze, giving her a small smile. "It's okay. All better now, see?" She motioned to the floor where the mess was gone.

But as she looked over at the broken mug in the trash can, Regina couldn't help but feel that things weren't better at all.

"I'll go get Eva and head out. Have a good day, okay?" Emma leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead, even though it looked like it hurt her a bit to do so. "I love you."

Regina just watched her leave, unable to say anything.

**

Regina watched Henry out of the corner of her eye as they walked along the sidewalk. She still couldn't get over the fact that this young man was her son. He looked so grown up now, so different from the little boy she knew.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Henry asked when he caught her staring once again. She hadn't said a word since they'd left the house after she asked if she could walk with him, but he had been aware of her eyes on him the entire time.

"Yes, Henry. I'm fine. I just –" she turned to openly study him now. "You know that I love you, don't you?" The words were difficult to ask and she waited for the dismissal that was so common from her own son.

"Of course I do." This Henry assured quickly, still looking at her with confusion. "Why would you ask me that?"

"And you're happy? I mean, with the way things are? With Emma and I… together?" She needed to know, needed to understand this new world and these new relationships she found herself in.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be? You know that I –" He stopped then, as though the proverbial light bulb had just gone off in his head. "Mom, are you pregnant again?"

Regina stopped short on the sidewalk, her mouth agape. "Wh – again? What?"

"You're acting like you did when you were pregnant with Eva, all concerned about me and my feelings about everything. And you were really tired yesterday and passed out at the party last night and –"

"No!" Regina quickly and vehemently denied, even as her hand came to rest against her flat stomach. "No, I'm not – no. No."

"Oh." Henry seemed to slump a bit then, although out of relief or disappointment, she couldn't be sure. "You're not sick are you?"

And the fear that she heard under those words made Regina's heart expand. Henry truly cared about her here. He truly loved her and worried about her. "No, Henry, I'm not sick." She reached out to stroke his cheek.

"You sure? Because you're acting really weird and –"

"I'm sure." She nodded. "I just – I just wanted to check. To make sure that…" She didn't even know how to finish the sentence, how to explain it to him at all.

But Henry seemed to understand and offered her a warm smile. "We're okay, Mom. We're all okay. As long as you and Ma are okay?"

Regina blinked at the question.

"You and Ma have been acting a little off. I just thought, I mean, you guys aren't fighting, right?"

"No. We're not fighting. It's just been… strange, lately." She murmured and watched as Henry's attention was suddenly taken by Paige, who was walking by. She grabbed his hand before he could go with the girl and squeezed it tightly. "I love you, Henry."

"I love you, too, Mom." Henry leaned over and kissed her cheek, whispering in her ear before pulling back and hurrying to catch up with Paige.

His words echoed in her head long after he was gone. _"Remember, it's okay to be happy."_

 


	5. Chapter 4

Regina's fingers tingled as she approached the crypt, a reminder that they were empty. She frowned as she looked down, surprised not to see the usual bouquet of lilies she brought each time she visited her father's grave.

Her thoughts had been too scattered today as she'd made her way here – preoccupied with what she needed to find and Henry's words and Eva's smile and Emma's eyes – to stop and get some. But no matter the reason for a visit, Regina never came without flowers. It wasn't just about keeping up appearances as the grieving daughter, it truly was about honoring her father's memory. And now she had failed in that regard.

She pulled the door to the crypt open, the frown still etched on her face. She wondered how often this world's Regina visited this place, if at all. Had it just been left here to rot, a monument to the evil she'd done and then turned her back on?

No. It hadn't. Not if the flowers in the vases by the coffin were anything to go by. The classic lilies were there in one vase, but in the other stood a bright bouquet full of what looked to be wildflowers. They were cheery, even in the relative darkness of the crypt and Regina knew that they'd been placed there by little hands.

Tears filled her eyes at the thought that her children had come to visit this place, had left behind tokens of love and affection for her father. Even if he wasn't really here, even if the stone coffin was empty, this was still his final resting place to her. It still mattered to her. And now, it seemed, it mattered to her family too.

"Daddy," she whispered, but found she couldn't say anything else. Especially not after she moved closer to his coffin and caught sight of the pictures tucked under the vases of flowers. There was Henry's school picture and a professionally taken one of Eva as well as the picture of Emma and Regina that sat on the nightstand in her bedroom. And there were other, hand drawn pictures, filled with childlike renderings of horses and rainbows, all made out to Grandpa.

Regina's heart squeezed painfully in her chest. "You would've loved them, Daddy," she whispered, thinking of how happy grandchildren would have made him. "You would've loved them so much."

She stayed, leaning against the coffin and allowing her tears to fall for long minutes before she finally worked up the strength to push aside the coffin and reveal the stairs that would take her straight to the heart of the Evil Queen. Then she wiped her eyes and with all the grace of the queen she once was, she descended them.

Even before her eyes had taken in the entirety of the room, she knew that the hat wasn't there. And it wasn't just the hat that was missing. It was everything that she'd kept there, everything from the old world. The wall that had once been filled with hearts now lay silent and the energy from the residual magic that used to crackle through the air was now stagnant.

Her eyes whirled around the room, unable to comprehend it, but it was true. Everything was gone. The artifacts, the hearts, and – most importantly at the moment – the hat.

* * *

Regina didn't know how long she stayed in the empty room, just staring at the emptiness, but by the time she finally emerged from the crypt, the sun was high in the sky.

The hat – her only hope at this point – was gone. And she had no idea where it was. She did, however, have an idea of who might know, but she couldn't bring herself to go and face him. Not today. Not while she was so far off her game.

So she let herself go on autopilot and soon found that she was settled in her office at Town Hall, a large stack of paperwork in front of her. This she could handle. Running the town was like second nature to her and it felt comforting to slip into her chair and start in on the paperwork.

It was normal enough that she could almost forget that she was trapped in another world, so long as she didn't allow her eyes to stray to the picture frames on her walls or the notes on her desk in Emma's familiar scrawl. But if she just kept her gaze focused on the paperwork in front of her, it was close enough to being back in her Storybrooke that she could forget everything else and settle into the sense of calm that finally washed over her.

At least until it was once again broken by a childish voice exclaiming the word she thought she'd never hear again.

"Mommy!"

Regina startled and looked up from her pile of paperwork to see Eva bouncing into her office, a wide smile on her face and a piece of paper clutched in her hand. Emma stood in the doorway, leaning casually against the door frame

Her eyes flitted to the clock and she was surprised to see that it was already dinner time. Had she really been that engrossed in working or had she spent even longer at the crypt that morning than she thought? She looked back to Emma and then glanced past her, but Emma just shook her head.

"He's going to meet us at the diner. He wanted to walk Paige home. Jefferson said he'd drive him back into town for us."

It was unsettling how Emma could seemingly read her mind like that in this world.

"You know we're gonna have to get him a car soon. The kid's 17. By 17, I was - well, I had my own car, at least."

Regina's eyebrow raised. "And you think this makes me feel more inclined to buy him a car? So he can end up like you?"

Emma flinched at the words as Regina belatedly realized that perhaps she'd put too much of an edge on them.

Eva seemed to notice her mothers' discomfort, so she scrambled up on Regina's lap, slapping the paper down on her desk as she flung her arms around Regina's waist and offered up a kiss to her cheek.

"I drawed you a picture, Mommy! See?"

"You drew me a picture." Regina corrected automatically and then frowned as Eva's own face scrunched at the words. But just as soon as the shadow came over her, it was gone.

"I drew you a picture!" She repeated, running her fingers over the crayon rendering and smiling up at Regina.

Her smile melted Regina's heart and made her want to cry all at once. Eva was so eager to please her, to make her proud. Bile rose in her throat as she thought of the needless corrections she'd been making at the child's expense. "It's beautiful, little one." She finally managed to say.

"It's our fambly, see?" She pointed to the large teal letters at the top that spelled out 'My Family'. "I had Auntie M write it first, so I could spell it all right."

"You spelled it perfectly." Regina assured, doing her best not to think about the fact that her child was calling Mary Margaret Blanchard 'Auntie M'.

"Look, there's you," she pointed to the stick figure on the left hand side of the page that had black hair and was wearing a rather well drawn skirt suit. Mommy was printed underneath.

"And there's Momma." Emma's stick figure was adorned with long, blonde curls and her famous red leather jacket.

"And there's Henry." His figure stood next to Regina's and in his hand was a large storybook. She breathed a relieved sigh when the book was blue and not brown.

"And there's me!" Eva's figure was the smallest one, situated between Henry and Emma and wearing what appeared to be a Princess Jasmine costume. Regina couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face at that.

Then she noticed another detail on the picture. "And who is that?" Her finger fell over a black and white image that was different than the rest, tucked between Eva and Emma.

"Oh! That's Lucky!"

"And who is Lucky?"

"Welllll," Eva drew the word out, glancing at her momma before looking back at her mommy, "Dr. Hopper's doggy Pongo had puppies with Mrs. Thompson, the 'brarian's doggy Perdita. 15 of them!"

"And Lucky is one of those puppies?"

"Uh huh!" Eva nodded. "Dr. Hopper thought he was dead at first, but then he waked up, that's why his name is Lucky." Regina didn't correct Eva's mistake this time.

"So why is Lucky in our family portrait?" Regina's eyes cut up to Emma, who held her hands up in a gesture of surrender while shaking her head.

"Welllll, Dr. Hopper can't keep all the puppies and neither can Mrs. Thompson. And Lucky needs a home with people who will love him and take care of him. Like you and Momma love and take care of me and Henry."

"Is that so?"

Eva's smile was blinding. "Uh huh. Momma and Henry think we could love him and take care of him."

"Oh they do?"

"Yeah! So can we 'dopt him, Mommy?" Dark eyes stared up at her in what had to be called a perfect puppy dog look. She was used to getting this look from Henry, who had apparently passed it down to his sister.

From the doorway, Emma offered a sheepish smile, the same look in her eyes. Regina felt her stomach twist as she realized exactly where Henry had gotten the look from. There was no doubt, at that moment, that either of her children – if these children could even be called hers – were also so clearly Emma's.

"What do you say, Mommy?" Emma asked quietly.

Regina shook her head. "I don't know." She had no right to be making this decision. She wasn't who they thought she was and she had no idea if this Regina would be opposed to a dog or not.

"The puppies won't be ready to leave their mother for another few weeks, so you'll have some time to think about it." Emma gave her a way out, finally. "And right now, I think it's time for us to think about going to get some food."

"Yeah!" Eva grinned, hopping down and running over to her momma. "Come on, Mommy! Let's go eat!"

Regina glanced back down at the drawing on her desk. Carefully, she folded it, and placed it in the pocket of her coat as she slipped it on, following Emma and Eva out of the office.

* * *

"You know that correcting Eva's grammar so she learns to speak properly is not the same as what she did to you." Emma said softly as they were walking down Main Street together, Eva skipping ahead, smiling and waving at everyone she passed.

Regina stiffened at the mention of _her_. "Yes, I am well aware."

"Then why did you have a freak out in your office?" Emma pushed. She was always pushing, this Emma, always trying to get into Regina's head.

"I did no such thing." Regina huffed, hating that this Emma knew her so well.

"You did, actually. I thought we had gotten passed this? You're not your mother, Regina. You never, ever will be."

Regina's throat tightened. "You can't know that."

"Of course I can. Because I know you."

"The look on her face –" Regina's voice was no more than a whisper.

"Hey, Eva Bug, c'mere." Emma called, opening her arms for the little girl and pulling her up when she reached them.

"What Momma?"

"Earlier, when Mommy told you it was drew and not drawed, why'd you make a face?"

"Emma." Regina frowned.

"I was trying to 'member it. That it's one of the funny ones. Draw goes to drew, like tell goes to told. Not like walk goes to walked."

Regina gaped a bit at the little girl's answer.

"Right." Emma smiled proudly at her. "So you weren't upset that Mommy corrected you?"

"No, silly!" Eva giggled, rubbing her nose against Emma's. "I wanna be able to talk just like Mommy and be as smart as her. So I hafta learn."

"That's what I thought." Emma kissed her cheeks, then set her down. Eva happily went back to skipping along.

"See?" Emma smirked. "You correct Henry and me all the time. It's no different with her, not when you do it with us, too. She wants to learn, to be just like you. Besides," Emma bumped her shoulder against Regina's, "we wouldn't want them to end up like me, huh?"

Regina found herself reaching out to grasp Emma's hand, holding tightly to it and hoping that somehow it would convey the feelings she had that she didn't even understand right now about what Emma had just done for her. Emma just squeezed it and offered her another wide, loving smile.

* * *

"Alright, Eva Bug, bedtime." Emma laughed after they'd returned home from the diner, swinging the little girl up into her arms.

"Noooo, Momma!"

"Yesssssss, Eva." She replied. "But you can have a story before bed. So, who gets story duty tonight?"

"Henry!" Eva giggled, her arms outstretched towards him.

"Henry?" Emma frowned in mock disgust, pulling Eva further away from him. "You always pick Henry."

"That's 'cause he's the bestest at telling stories, Momma."

"Yeah, Ma." Henry winked, taking Eva's squirming form from her. "I'm the bestest."

Emma laughed, leaning over to kiss Eva's cheeks and then Henry's. "Fine then, be that way." She stuck her tongue out for good measure.

"Love you, Momma." Eva smiled, patting Emma's cheeks.

"I love you, too, Bug."

"How much?" Eva smirked, obviously already aware of what Emma's response would be.

"Enough to slay dragons and break curses."

"Really big dragons?"

"The biggest."

Eva giggled and then turned her attention to Regina. "I love you, Mommy."

Regina swallowed, the words catching in her throat for a moment as she looked at the little beauty. "And I you," she managed to get out.

Again Eva smirked, her eyes sparkling. "How much?"

Regina froze. This was obviously a script she should know, but she didn't have a clue what her lines were. _Enough to cast curses?_ No, that couldn't be it.

She closed her eyes and thought of what she used to tell Henry when he was just a little boy. "To the moon and back again, across this world and any other."

Never before had those words been more apt. They must've also been the right ones because Eva giggled happily and then turned her attention to Henry. "C'mon, Henry! Story time!"

"And what story am I telling tonight?" Henry asked as they headed toward the stairs.

"The Queen and The White Knight!" Eva said as though the choice should've been obvious and Regina couldn't stop her eyes from going wide.

"Aren't you tired of that one yet?" Henry teased.

"Never!" Eva proclaimed. "It's my favoritest!"

"Okay, okay. The Queen and The White Knight it is."

"Funny," Emma chuckled as she wrapped her arms around Regina from behind and placed a kiss against her neck, "that story is my favoritest, too."

"Yes, well," Regina pulled out of the warm embrace and headed for the stairs, needing to hear what it was that her son was going to say, "I think that perhaps I need to hear it again, so that I can decide my feelings on the matter."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Really? Well, don't be too long. After all, who needs to hear a story when you can be living it instead?"

"I do," Regina muttered quietly. "So that I know what exactly it is that I'm living."


	6. Chapter 5

It wasn't until she was walking up the stairs that Regina realized she had no idea which room was her daughter's. She knew her bedroom and Henry's – or at least where Henry's room had been – but she wasn't sure about which room she would've chosen as Eva's.

Luckily, the sound of voices floated down the hall, leading her in the right direction. The door to Eva's room – a former guest room that had been done in white with black accents – was open about a quarter of the way. It was just enough for her to see in, but for the children on the bed not to notice her.

She took in the room with amazement. It looked completely different than its former incarnation. Now, it was painted a soft teal and decorated by books and toys and dolls. Twinkle lights were strung around the edges of the room and then criss-crossed across the middle of the ceiling, casting a soft, magical glow around the room. It was perfectly Eva, she could feel that after only knowing the child for a day.

"Was the Prince scared, Henry?" Eva's voice cut through her musings and Regina turned her attention to Henry and Eva, cuddled together in the middle of the bed. It was obvious that Henry had already started the story, although he had no book that he was reading from, and Regina listened to try and catch where they were in the events of her life in this world.

"Not as scared as the Queen. She was very worried about the Prince and his safety."

"So she asked The Knight for help!"

"Yep. She sure did. It wasn't easy for the Queen to trust the Knight, and asking for help felt like weakness to her, but she loved the Prince enough to set her worries aside."

The mine. So it had happened here just like it had in her world. Even thinking about it now, Regina could feel the panic rise within her, the fear for her son's safety.

"And the Knight helped and saved the Prince!"

"Yes, she did. She saved the Prince and his companion and the Queen was grateful. She thanked the Knight and invited her to a celebratory dinner, which made the Prince happy because he wanted to be able to see the Knight. And he also got to see the kind and caring side to the Queen."

Regina's brow furrowed. That wasn't what had happened. She had pushed Emma away after the mine. They hadn't had dinner together.

The sound of yawning broke into her thoughts.

"Alright, Princess, I think that's enough for tonight. Time to close those sleepy eyes."

"No!" Eva protested, even as her eyes drooped. "Please, Henry, tell me about the fire. It's the bestest part."

"Okay, we'll skip ahead to it, but after the fire part, you're going to sleep. Got it?"

"Got it." Eva nodded, even as she yawned again.

"Well, after the Queen's guard died, she needed a new one and two people stepped forward for the position."

"The Knight and the Queen's servant."

"Yes. And the townspeople liked the Knight, which worried the Queen's servant. He knew that if it was up to them, they would elect the Knight. And he also knew that the Queen was beginning to favor the Knight as well."

"So he did a not nice thing."

Henry grinned at Eva's characterization of Sidney's actions. "Yes. He did a not nice thing. He said mean things about the Knight, which hurt not only her, but the Prince as well."

"But he didn't care, 'cause he was a bad man."

"Not a bad man, necessarily," Henry was quick to correct the image of someone being entirely bad, "just… wrong, in this case. But not only did he do the not nice thing, he made it seem like the Queen had told him to."

"But she didn't, 'cause she liked the Knight and didn't want to hurt her!"

Regina blinked in surprise. That couldn't be right. She had told Sidney to run the story about Emma. She'd wanted to destroy any chance Emma had at winning the election.

"Right. But the Knight was hurt and so the Queen wanted to apologize and tell her that she hadn't had any part in what her servant had done."

Apologize? No. Regina had never wanted to apologize to Emma.

"So the Knight went to visit the Queen in one of her castles. And while she was there, a fire broke out and the Queen was hurt. The Queen thought the Knight would leave her because she thought the Knight blamed her. But instead, the Knight carried the Queen to safety. And after that, the Queen backed the Knight in the election and she became the new guard and they became friends."

"It's 'cause… the Knight… loved… the Queen… and the Queen… loved… the Knight… right Henry?" Eva's head fell onto Henry's shoulder as her words became more and more filled with sleep. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

"You're absolutely right, Princess. It's because they loved each other." He carefully moved Eva so that she was tucked down into bed and then crawled off, pulling the covers up over her. "Sleep tight, little sis. I love you."

Regina moved away from the door quickly, her vision clouded by tears.

* * *

"Hey. You okay?" Emma asked from the bed as she watched Regina come into the room and head straight for the bathroom.

"Fine." She gritted out, quickly locking herself away until she could get a handle on her emotions. The story hadn't helped. It had only served to confuse her more. It seemed like some things had happened in the same way here, but others had happened differently. She couldn't quite figure out where the things diverged or even what was true and what was a product of the story Henry was telling. It was very possible he was making it nicer than it really was. Wasn't it?

The bedroom was dark by the time she came back into it and Regina was glad, hoping that it meant Emma was already asleep. However, as soon as she settled into the bed, arms wrapped around her and lips covered the skin on her neck and shoulders. "How was story time?" was whispered against her skin.

"Fine."

Emma urged Regina over so that she could look into her eyes. "You sure everything's okay? You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yes." She nodded, because it was what she was supposed to say.

Emma chewed her lip and then nodded, leaning forward to capture Regina's lips. "I love you."

Regina felt herself sink into the kiss and the embrace before she caught herself and pulled away, turning back over and allowing Emma to press herself against her back.

She didn't return the sentiment, but Emma said nothing about it.

* * *

At the sound of the alarm clock, Regina once again jerked awake, although she already knew that she wasn't back in her Storybrooke.

"No. Not time to get up yet, 'Gina." Emma mumbled once again, tightening her hold on Regina and burying her face further into the pillow.

"Emma," Regina hissed, trying to move out of her arms.

"C'mon. Five more minutes."

The door swung open and little feet padded across the floor before Eva bounded onto the bed. "Momma! Mommy! It's morning!" She announced as she wiggled her way in between them.

"That it is, Bug." Emma said as she lifted the covers up. "But I think we should stay in bed and hide under the covers all day. What do you say?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah? Well, we've gotta convince Mommy, too." Emma inclined her head toward where Regina lay.

"Mommy, let's stay in bed together!" Eva giggled as Emma pulled the sheet up and dropped it over their heads.

"Yeah, Mommy, let's stay in bed together." Emma laughed.

Regina looked over at both of them, snuggled up and giggling under the covers and she couldn't stop the quick skip of her heart at the sight of them. She offered them a small smile, even as she slid away from them. "I'm afraid that Mommy has work to do."

"Mommy, that's no fun!" Eva called, even as Emma began to tickle her sides.

"No." Regina said as she thought about what she needed to do that day while watching the lump that was Emma and Eva moving under the covers. "It isn't any fun at all."

* * *

"Regina," Jefferson frowned as he opened the door, "to what do I owe the pleasure?"

It was obvious that he saw no pleasure in her visit, but Regina ignored it and entered his mansion anyway.

"I need your help."

Jefferson raised his eyebrows as he closed the door. "Really? My help? My, my, you must be in the doghouse if you're coming to me." He laughed a little at that, then shrugged. "But I'm afraid I won't be of much help. I haven't spoken to Emma since the party, so I've no idea what it is that you've done now."

"No," Regina huffed, "this isn't about Emma. This is about you. Something I need. Something I cannot find. I think you know where it is."

Jefferson's eyes narrowed. "What is it that you need?"

Regina swallowed, forcing the words out of her mouth. She knew what a risk this could be. "The hat."

The transformation was instantaneous. Gone was the slightly nervous look he'd been giving her, replaced by one of suspicion and hatred.

"Who are you?"

"What?"

"Who the hell are you?" He hissed, moving closer to her, forcing her back against the wall, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Because you aren't Regina. Not Emma's Regina."

She felt panic rear up inside as her back hit the solid wall, even as anger surged forward too. No, she wasn't Emma's Regina – even if she had been this Regina, she still wouldn't have been Emma's. Regina belonged to no one. She was done with those bonds, had sacrificed too much to break them and knew that she would never willingly put them back on for anyone. She was no one's possession.

"I will ask you one more time," he said, his hand coming up to her throat, "who are you?"

"I am Regina." She spat in his face.

His hand tightened. "Liar."

"No!" She hissed, gathering her anger and pushing against him, forcing him away. He stumbled backwards as she moved away from the wall, her body taking on the posture of the Evil Queen. "I am Regina. I am your queen."

He blinked, his eyes going wide, panic creeping around the edges. "No. No. Who are you? Where did you come from? How did you get here?"

She deflated then, just the littlest bit, but it was enough for him to see. "I don't know."

"It's true," he murmured. "You aren't her. Does Emma know?"

"No. And she won't. Because you are going to give me the hat and send me back where I came from."

"Where you came from. And where is that?"

"I don't know. Another world. A different one. A different Storybrooke. In it, Emma threw a hat at me and opened a portal. I fell through and went through a red door and ended up here. It was a red door with a heart carved in it. Does that sound at all familiar to you, Hatter?"

He stared at her for a long moment, as though he was unaware that she was speaking to him. Then finally he shook his head. "No. No, it doesn't. There was no red door. Is no red door."

Regina shook her head against his words. "No. Please," she whispered, hating her weakness, "I just need the hat. I need to go back."

He flung his hand toward the room that had once contained hundred of hats, but now was just a simple sitting room. There were books and magazines scattered around it, snapshots of his new life with his daughter, like her own with her family. "You should know, your majesty, that I have no hat, nor the means to activate it."

"No. It has to be here. It has to." She pushed past him, searching the room frantically for any sign of the hat.

"It isn't. All that is here is the home that my daughter and I share. And I will not allow you to ruin that again. So I suggest you leave." He opened the front door and motioned for her to get out.

"Jefferson." She gasped. "It was a red door. It brought me here from another world. You must believe me."

"Oh Regina." He frowned at her. "I never said I didn't believe. I more than anyone know what it is like to tell the truth and have it be ignored. But I cannot help you."

"Cannot? Or will not?" She pressed.

"You know, I always wondered that about you. Now, I think it's your turn to wonder. Good day, Regina."

The door slamming reverberated through her, destroying the hope she'd allowed to grow within her.


	7. Chapter 6

* * *

_**The lives I'll never lead** _

_**Couldn't make me sing** _

_**Could they? Could they? Could they?** _

* * *

Regina's mind worked in overdrive as she headed back to her office. She couldn't get the encounter with Jefferson out of her head. She went over every look, every word, trying to decide if he had been lying to her or not, but she couldn't tell. This Jefferson was different from the one in her world. Having his daughter back had brought a semblance of sanity that made him more difficult to read.

She frowned as she considered her options. She could always go to Gold, but that felt like exposing too much of herself, especially when she wasn't sure of the dynamics of their relationship here.

Not that she was really all that sure of the dynamics of any of her relationships here. It was too much to think about, too much to consider. All that she knew was that she needed that hat. And now, the two places that she thought it'd be had both left her empty handed.

She couldn't help but feel like the hat still had to be in her possession. She couldn't imagine giving it up to anyone, but apparently, from the shape of her father's crypt, she had given other things up here in this life. Still, the hat had been valuable, even in its uselessness. Now, it would be not only valuable, but useful. But where on earth could she have hidden it?

Her thoughts were cut off by the sight of Kathryn, standing by her secretary's desk, with Eva beside her. The sight of the other woman still managed to catch her off guard and she pulled up short, staring at her in surprise.

"Regina," Kathryn offered a soft smile, "I'm sorry to show up here like this unannounced, but I already tried Emma and she wasn't available and –"

"What's wrong?" Regina cut in, her eyes suddenly glued to the little figure beside Kathryn. It was Eva, that much was certain, but she wasn't acting at all like the bubbly child that Regina had come to know in the past few days.

"Nothing major. Just another of her earaches and a low grade fever, but –"

"Mommy," Eva's voice rang out, sounding so small and sad, even as she tugged on her ear, that it shot straight through to Regina's heart, "fix it, please?"

"She's been asking for you." Kathryn finished with a small frown.

"Oh, little one," Regina murmured, kneeling down to bring herself level with the child, "come here."

Eva practically ran into her arms, nuzzling her face into Regina's neck, where she could feel the heat emanating from her forehead. Her curls were tangled and dampened with sweat, Regina noticed as she stood up, carefully cradling the tiny body in her arms.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your work day, but she just seemed so miserable."

"Nonsense." Regina shook off the apology, already turning to her secretary. "I'm taking my daughter home for the afternoon." The words flowed easily out of her mouth.

"Of course, Mayor Mills. I'll call the sheriff and inform her as well."

"Thank you, Leslie. Kathryn." She nodded quickly, already heading for the door.

* * *

Eva hardly fussed at all on the way home, just whimpering once when Regina transferred her into the booster seat in the back of the car, but she could tell the little girl was in pain. Her usually bright eyes were dull and red rimmed, as though she was fighting tears, and her hand continued to tug at her ear the whole way back to their home. Regina recognized the signs of the earaches that had plagued her as a child – the ones that her father had tried to soothe, but that her mother had dismissed as nothing more than child's play to try and gain attention – and she frowned in sympathy for Eva. Henry had managed to make it through childhood without being affected by them, something she had always been grateful for, but it seemed that the same could not be said for Eva.

"Is it just the one ear, or both?" Regina asked as she carried Eva inside the house, her mind already running through possible antidotes and soothing methods.

"Just the left one," she replied, giving it another sharp tug.

"Don't tug, little one." Regina reminded softly, kissing her right temple to try to soothe her. "Let's get you upstairs and into a warm bath for starters. How's that?"

A tiny grin broke out on Eva's face. "Can we use your tub, Mommy?"

Regina found she couldn't deny Eva anything when she made that face. "Of course."

As soon as they reached the second floor landing, Eva wiggled out of Regina's grasp and headed for the master bath. Regina heard the water start and increased her pace, making it into the master bedroom as Eva's head peeked back out from the bathroom. "Can I turn on the bubbles?"

Regina glanced into the bathroom, realizing that Eva meant the jets in the oversized bathtub. "Only for a little while. And I'll turn them on, after I check the temperature. Why don't you go pick out a pair of your pajamas to put on after you get out?"

Eva grinned again, even as she tried to discreetly tug at her ear, and moved out of the room, her little footsteps padding down the hall. Regina moved to the bathtub, adjusting the spigots until the water flowed lukewarm. She knew that warm water had helped soothe her earaches in the past, but she was also aware that cool water would help bring down Eva's fever, and so she settled on a midpoint of the two. She had just finished turning on the jets to the lowest setting when Eva trudged back into the room, carrying her Princess Jasmine pajamas.

"Alright, little one, let's get you in the bath and see if that helps your earache."

Regina carefully helped Eva out of her clothing and into the bathtub, smiling when the little girl started to happily splash and swim around in the oversized bathtub that was more like a pool to her.

"Careful. Don't get any water in your ear." Regina cautioned as she ran her fingers through the lukewarm water, remembering what it had been like to give Henry baths as a little boy.

It had been one of her favorite times with him, watching him play and splash and laugh and then wrapping him up in a towel and smelling his fresh, clean baby smell. And now to have the opportunity again, with this little girl who looked so much like her, who was her _daughter_ , well, it was nearly overwhelming.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Eva asked as she rested her chin on the edge of the tub, tilting her head to make sure no water was in her ear and to look more closely at her mother.

Regina smiled at her, pushing back tears that were suddenly threatening to flow down her cheeks. "Nothing, baby. Now, how about we try to wash that hair without getting any water in your ears, hmm?"

* * *

Eva was calm and patient as Regina carefully washed and rinsed her hair, being sure that no water got into her ears. Then she snuggled into Regina's embrace when she wrapped her in a towel and Regina took the opportunity to carefully inhale her own sweet, clean scent. She also pressed her cheek to Eva's forehead, glad to feel that it wasn't as warm as it had been before the bath.

"Alright, you, let's get that hair dried." She smiled as she snuggled with the little girl, who managed to giggle before she pulled back and looked at her mother seriously.

"You'll stop the tangles, right, Mommy?"

Regina looked at the wild mop of wet, messy curls that was Eva's hair and thought of her own unruly hair as a child. She remembered the way Cora would tug the brush through her hair, uncaring, even when it ripped at snarls and knots and pulled out strands as she went. If Regina so much as whimpered in distress, she would often find herself with the other side of the hairbrush connecting with her shoulders, back, and bottom.

She blinked and swallowed hard before she forced a smile on her lips for the little girl. "You bet I will."

Eva grinned up at her with pure love and admiration and Regina felt her heart skip more than a few beats.

* * *

Regina took extra care as she dried Eva's hair, making sure to use her fingers to carefully comb through before she took a brush anywhere near the little girl's hair. She deftly untangled knots with the softest of movements, all the while weaving a story about a little princess who loved to ride horses for her enchanted daughter.

After all the knots were worked out and the curls were tamed, she carefully pulled the brush through the silky hair over and over, making it shine in the dim light of the bathroom.

"Someday, my hair will be as long as Jamine's. I's not cutting it ever again." Eva proclaimed, catching Regina's eye in the mirror and tugging on a curl, as though to make it longer.

"Is that what you want, little one? To be like Jasmine?"

Eva bobbed her head up and down for a moment before her expression turned thoughtful. She tugged on her ear and then grinned. "Or like you, Mommy!"

Regina had to close her eyes to push the tears away. She didn't know how to respond. Instead, she turned her attention to other matters.

"Does your ear still hurt?"

"A little." Eva nodded.

"Well, let's try something then." Regina scooped Eva up and carried her over to her bed, where she carefully tucked her in before laying down beside her. With one hand, she gently ran her fingers through Eva's curls, massaging her scalp as she went. With the other, she ran her fingers back and forth from underneath Eva's sore ear to her jaw and then back around, massaging the area as she went to help relieve any pressure that might be building. As she did so, she also hummed softly, a low sound that wouldn't disturb Eva's ear, but would instead be soothing.

Soon Eva's breathing evened out and she was fast asleep.

* * *

"Hey."

Regina lifted her head at the sound of the voice, taking in the sight of Emma standing in the doorway watching them. Eva was still sleeping soundly and at some point, Regina herself must've fallen asleep. She carefully pushed herself out of bed, making sure she didn't wake Eva as she went.

"Leslie called, said she had another earache. I got home as soon as I could, grabbed Henry on the way. Everything okay?" Emma asked, her hand running up and down Regina's arm.

"Her ear was hurting and she had a fever. I brought her home and gave her a lukewarm bath to help with the earache and her fever. Then I laid down with her and massaged the outer ear." Regina explained, her eyes searching Emma's as though looking for validation of what she'd done. In truth, she had no idea what they usually did with Eva when she had an earache. She should've asked the little girl before, but she'd just acted on instinct. Now though, she wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do or not. Fear that she'd done the wrong thing and had somehow harmed the little girl flooded her system.

"I – I didn't give her any medication. I never thought –"

"Hey." Emma squeezed her arm and looked at her with a frown. "You didn't do anything wrong. You did what you always do, which always works. Eva's fine. She'll wake up thinking you're a miracle worker. But… are you okay?"

Regina tugged away from Emma's hold and her questioning eyes. "Of course I am. I just must be disoriented from falling asleep with her. I'll just go start on dinner."

"Regina." Emma called after her, but she didn't stop. Emma watched her go with a frown and a growing suspicion that something wasn't right.

* * *

"You're not her, are you?" Emma's voice floated across the room and Regina turned, trying to make her face out in the darkness. She'd thought that Emma was asleep and that she had made it through her earlier misstep, but apparently that wasn't the case. She couldn't see anything, so she sat up and flipped on the bed side lamp.

The lamp cast a soft glow over the room, illuminating Emma's figure, sprawled on her side of the bed, blonde curls spread on the pillow, and a look on her face that Regina had never seen before, in her world or this one. "What?"

Emma pushed herself up, leaning on her elbow as she stared at Regina with a small, sad smile on her face. "You're not my Regina. I mean, not that my Regina is mine, as in my possession, because she isn't – she'd never let me say that or even think that, not that I ever would think that, but… she is mine, in here, you know?" She patted the spot over where her heart lay, "And you're not her… are you?"

Regina blinked at the words. "Wh-what? How do you -"

Emma smiled again, reaching out and pushing a strand of hair back out of Regina's face. "I think I've known since the minute you got here, but I didn't want to believe -" she shrugged, "that's kind of common with me, I guess."

"From the minute I got here?" Regina stared at her, wondering if it was possible that Emma truly knew when she had arrived.

"The day of the party, when you came home early. You looked like a deer caught in the headlights with Eva's arms around your legs but I ignored that because I didn't want to see it. And when I kiss you -" Again, the sad smile crossed Emma's lips. "You're just not her."

"Emma -" Regina reached out, although she wasn't sure why.

"Do you know where she is?" Emma asked softly.

"No. But I wish I did." Emma detected no lie in the words.

"So where are you from then?"

Regina considered the question. She honestly didn't know how to answer because she didn't know where exactly it was that she was from compared to here. "Another world, I suppose you could say."

"Am I in that world too?"

"Yes. Everyone here is there too." _Except Eva_ , a voice in the back of her head reminded her, but Regina pushed that thought away.

Emma nodded. It made sense. After all, Regina had appeared to know who everyone at the party was, she was just confused by their relationships now. And speaking of relationships. "But we're not together there are we?"

"No." Regina whispered, somehow finding it hard to admit that.

Emma's eyes closed briefly before opening again. "Do we hate each other there?"

"I -" Regina lost her voice.

Emma's eyes closed again and this time when they opened, Regina could see them shining with unshed tears. "I thought so."

Regina reached out, grabbing Emma's arm this time, hating herself for making the sheriff look like that. "No. Emma, no. We don't -"

"You don't have to lie." Emma assured. "I know what it was like when we first met here. I guess - I guess in some worlds it was too much to get over."

"I don't hate you." Regina said vehemently, surprising herself and Emma with the truth of her worlds. Their eyes locked and Regina knew that as much as she may have wanted to, she'd never actually hated Emma. Dropping her voice to nothing more than a whisper, Regina admitted the truth. "You scare me there."

Understanding flashed across Emma's face. "Because of Henry. You think I'm going to take him away."

Regina didn't answer, but she didn't have to. Emma knew Regina - her Regina - well enough to know that she'd hit the nail on the head. "So that means that Eva isn't there either."

"No." Her voice was strangled again.

"Well," Emma breathed, her breath coming out in a large gust, as she flopped over to lay on her back, "then I'm really glad you showed up here and I didn't show up there. Because I think I'd go insane there, without you and her."

Regina didn't say it, but she understood what Emma was saying. She wasn't sure what she was going to do when she went back - if she ever went back. In just a few days, Eva and this Emma had managed to worm their way so far into her heart that the thought of losing them felt like it was choking her, strangling her in a way she had last felt on the floor of a stable worlds away.

"Regina?" She looked up at the sound of Emma's voice, the seriousness in it. There was always an underlying hint of teasing in Emma's voice here, of laughter and love. But now, it was just a seriousness that caught Regina by surprise and gripped her tightly. She stared at Emma, who had rolled back over to face her sometime in the midst of the silence. When Emma was sure she had Regina's attention, she continued on with her thought. "I love you."

"Wh - Emma -"

"No. Listen." Emma shook her head. "I love you."

"I'm not her." Regina said, trying to deny the truth in Emma's words, even when she could hear it as plain as day.

"No. You're not. But you're a _part_ of her. And I love her - every single part of her. That includes who she used to be and every other version of her that's out there, no matter how flawed she may be and no matter how she feels about me. I still love her. And I still love you."

Regina felt tears well up in her eyes and she did her best to blink them away, but Emma pulled her close, wrapping strong arms around her, and she couldn't stop the tears.

"I love you." Emma murmured against her hair, pressing a kiss against her temple, and Regina realized just how much she'd needed to hear those words and just how long she'd been waiting for them to be real again.


	8. Chapter 7

Regina stopped short as she entered the bedroom the next afternoon and caught sight of Emma sitting on the end of the bed, a hat balancing between her hands. Not just a hat – _the_ hat.

"Wh-where did you get that?"

"Where do you think?" Emma raised her eyebrows with a smirk.

"But Jefferson told me –"

"There aren't many people who know about the curse here. You, me, and Henry. Gold and Belle, but they're mostly benign at this point. And Jefferson. He still –" Emma paused, as though looking for the right words to explain, "Jefferson is loyal to me. It's why he wouldn't tell you about having the hat, especially after he realized that you weren't –" she waved her hands towards Regina.

"That I wasn't her." Regina nodded, her mind going over all the information. "Paige. You're the reason he has Paige."

"You – she," Emma fumbled, still not used to the fact that this woman wasn't her lover but some alternate version of her, "helped. But Jefferson only ever acknowledged my part in it. He still finds it hard to trust you."

"So he told you about our visit. Is that how you knew?" Somehow the thought of Emma not knowing and being told by Jefferson made Regina's stomach twist.

"No. I went to him on my own today. After our conversation last night, I needed – I needed a friend. I needed to talk about things and even though I love Ruby, she wouldn't exactly understand when I started talking about magic and other worlds. So, I went to see him and then he told me then that you'd stopped by." Emma turned the hat in her hands. "Why didn't you tell me that you'd come through the hat?"

Regina shrugged. "I'd already gone to the crypt and found it empty. Then I went to see him. When he told me he didn't have the hat, I figured it was a dead end."

"You accepted a dead end? Doesn't sound like my Regina." Emma teased, still playing with the hat.

Regina said nothing, not willing to admit that although she certainly felt uncomfortable here in this world, that she was beginning to enjoy it too. To have Henry look at her with love instead of disgust, to have Eva offer cuddles and kisses at every turn, even to have Emma smile at her so openly – it was refreshing in a way that she couldn't name or explain, but there was a part of her that was growing larger every day that didn't want to leave it all behind so easily.

"So, how does it work exactly? Jefferson couldn't," wouldn't, really, but Regina didn't need to know that, "tell me too much about it."

Regina blinked. "I don't know. As far as I knew, you had to have a hatter to help you through the hat. And you had to have magic, which I didn't think existed in this world."

"Ah, well, that's where you're wrong." Emma grinned as she stood up, leaving the hat on the bed. "I've got plenty of magic."

She moved over into Regina's space easily and trailed her hand down Regina's neck and between the valley of her breasts. It was only when Regina gasped at the sensations of Emma's hand on her that Emma pulled away abruptly. "Oh, uh, I –" she shook her head, blinking hard and then refocusing on Regina, the Regina before her who was not, as she had forgotten in that moment, her lover, "sorry. I'm sorry."

Regina watched her turn away with a frown. "No, it's –"

Emma turned back, her expression far more serious than it had been. "So, how did this work? How did I activate the hat in the other world?"

Regina cleared her throat. "I'm not sure, exactly. We were having an argument; you threw the hat at me and then left. I don't think you knew what you were doing."

There was a hint of a tease in Regina's voice that brought a small smile back to Emma's lips. "Don't say it." She cautioned as she held up a finger.

Regina smirked then. "What?"

"Now, see, that? That's my Regina." Emma laughed as she moved across the room. "So I'm just supposed to throw it at you?"

"I suppose so. Make sure you stand back though, if it works. Otherwise you could be sucked in as well."

"Right." Emma nodded, shifting the hat back and forth in her grasp, before she finally took hold of the brim with her right hand and bent her wrist.

"Wait." Regina said as she watched Emma's muscles flex. "What – what if it works?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Then you go through the hat back to your world."

"But what if –"

"No." Emma shook her head. She'd already considered the possibilities, already had Jefferson warn her of what might – or might not – happen if she did manage to activate the hat. "If it works, you go through the hat. That's all there is to it."

"Emma." Regina stared at her, trying to understand her.

"If it works, you go through." Emma said again, her tone brooking no argument as she flexed her wrist and let go of the hat. It twirled through the air and then landed at Regina's feet with a dull thud.

"Damn it." She cursed, moving over to grab the hat up again.

Regina's hand closed around her wrist, halting her progress. "Emma. Listen to me."

"No." Emma jerked her arm away, feeling anger beginning to rise. Maybe that was good. Maybe that's what she needed. She clung to the anger, clenching her fingers around the hat to try to hold on to it all. "You're going through this god damn hat."

She moved swiftly across the room and flung the hat with all the anger she could muster, going so far as to turn and walk out of the bedroom, in hopes that that would help activate it. But all that she heard from the hallway was the soft "oof" that came from Regina when the hat collided with her stomach before falling uselessly to the ground again.

The frustration ratcheted up then, as she turned and moved back into the room, trying to think of the few things that Jefferson had told her. "The hat must spin to create the vortex," he'd said. Maybe that's where she'd been going wrong. Maybe she just needed to spin the hat on the floor.

"Emma." Regina said again, but Emma ignored her, picking up the hat and then sitting on the floor. She held it carefully and then spun it, but still, nothing happened. Emma put her hands on it again, closing her eyes and concentrating as hard as she could, remembering her Regina's words. _Love, true love, is the most powerful magic of all._

Regina watched as a look of sheer determination etched itself across Emma's pretty features, before it slowly faded into another image, one that took Regina's breath away. She didn't know what Emma was thinking about, what she was picturing in her mind's eye, but it was obvious from the softening of her features and the brilliant smile that slowly stretched across her lips that whatever it was, Emma loved it. Loved it more than anything else. Regina's own heart beat double time at the look.

Emma spun the hat once again, her eyes still closed, her mind still focused on her Regina and all the love she had for her; on her need to give this Regina exactly what she wanted and send her back to her world and her home, even if that world was a place where she didn't love Emma. For a brief moment, the hat spun and spun, faster and faster, and Emma's eyes opened, sure that the portal would open too. But then, just as all the other times, it slowed and stopped, just a plain old hat lying on the floor.

"Emma." Regina pulled the hat away this time, dropping it unceremoniously on her night stand, before she knelt down and took Emma's hands in her own. "Stop. It's okay."

Green eyes shining with tears met Regina's gaze. "I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry it didn't work."

Regina pulled her into an embrace for the first time, carefully rubbing circles on Emma's back and trying not to think about how right it felt to hold Emma like this. But even as she pushed away those thoughts, another more persistent thought pushed its way to the forefront of her mind and Regina couldn't deny it, although she'd never admit it or speak it aloud.

_I'm not._

* * *

"Are there any photo albums around here?" Regina asked later that night, when the silence had gotten to be too much. She knew that Emma was still beating herself up for not being able to make the hat work and she needed to find a way to distract her. She'd already hidden the hat away, shoved on a shelf in her closet behind some shoe boxes, but it hadn't done anything to dissipate Emma's mood.

Emma stared at Regina. "Are you serious? Have you seen this place? It's like one giant photo album." She swept her hands around to encompass the bedroom and all the photos throughout it. Although she sounded sarcastic, there was a look on her face that clearly showed how much she loved having the photos everywhere. Regina knew she was the mastermind behind it.

"Yes, well, isn't that the truth?"

Emma looked at her then, tilting her head to the side. "What do you want to see that there isn't a picture of?"

Regina's neck reddened just a bit before she spoke. "Henry said – he implied that Eva was mine."

Emma instantly went rigid, her face blanching at the words. "Eva is ours. Just like Henry is ours."

Regina heard the tremor of fear that filtered through Emma's voice and realized what her comment must have sounded like. If anyone understood fear of her child being taken away, it was Regina. "No, I – he implied that she was mine biologically."

Emma watched as Regina's hand unconsciously came to rest over her flat stomach and her body finally relaxed. "Oh. Yes." She breathed. "Yes. Eva is yours, like Henry is mine. But really, they're both _ours_."

She climbed off the bed and moved over to the closet, where she pulled down a photo album from the top shelf. Regina breathed a sigh of relief that she had hidden the hat on the other side of the closet. "You – she – Regina wouldn't let me put these pictures out. She said that she looked too fat. But I think she was gorgeous."

Emma flipped through the pages before stopping and handing it over for Regina to see. Regina's eyes widened as she took in the picture of herself, heavily pregnant. Her fingers ran over the image, even as her other hand stayed against her stomach. She tried to imagine what it must have felt like, to have a life growing within her, to know that she was carrying her daughter, but it was beyond anything she could imagine. She suddenly hated not having this Regina's memories, not having her feelings and experiences. "I carried her. But how –"

"Magic." Emma whispered and then, at Regina's incredulous look, she started to laugh. "Or at least this world's version of it. We went to a sperm bank, Regina."

"A sperm –" Regina's nose wrinkled at the thought.

"Ah, just when I thought I'd never see that look again…" Emma's voice trailed off. "It wasn't her first choice either, believe me. But I wasn't letting Sidney anywhere near you so…"

At that Regina made a choking sound. "Sid – Sidney?"

Emma winked before she burst out laughing again. "Now that's a look that I really did want to see again."

"You are terrible, Emma Swan."

"But you love me anyway." Emma replied automatically, then snapped her mouth shut. There were moments when it was so easy to forget that this wasn't really her Regina.

Regina cleared her throat, looking down at the pages of the album. "So, uh, Eva's father?"

Emma shrugged. "A number on a form. His features were similar to mine, which didn't matter much in the end, because Eva's a carbon copy of you anyway. But he had a good family history, no medical problems, smart, you know… good qualities for a sperm donor."

"And it didn't worry you that his genes would affect her?"

Emma shook her head. "I figured if the kid was being raised by you, it wouldn't matter what her genetic makeup was, she'd turn out just fine. I mean, just look at Henry. He's absolutely nothing like his sperm donor, thank god. So I knew we'd be just fine with Eva too."

Emma's use of the term 'sperm donor' in regards to Henry's father surprised Regina. She'd never heard anything about the man before, but then she'd never really thought of him either. She'd been far too preoccupied with his birth mother to worry about his birth father. "Will you tell me about him?"

"Henry's father?" Emma's eyes clouded for a moment, then became clear again as she slowly shook her head. "No."

"No?" Regina frowned. "Does she – do I – does your Regina know about him?"

"Yes."

"Well then –"

"I won't, Regina. It wouldn't be fair to you or to your version of me. And besides, we still don't know all the similarities and differences of our worlds. It's possible that what happened here isn't the same as what happened there."

"It was bad, wasn't it?" Regina tried and failed to catch Emma's eyes. "Whatever happened with him?"

Emma blinked, still keeping her eyes averted. "It gave us Henry. That can never be a bad thing."

"No, of course not. But –"

Emma reached over and gently squeezed her arms, finally looking up at her. "She'll tell you. When she's ready. Just like I told my Regina when I was ready. Just please, don't push her. Give her the space she needs to open up to you. She will tell you."

"Okay." Regina whispered before looking back down at the pictures of her holding a newborn Eva while Emma and Henry looked on in pride and awe.

She felt her heart skip a beat at the image.

Family.

It was all she'd ever wanted.


	9. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I introduce two (sort of) original characters in this chapter. In the Enchanted Forest they were Rapunzel and Gothel, but in Storybrooke they became Gwendolyn and Madelyn Gardner, with Madelyn becoming Gwendolyn's overbearing older sister instead of her "mother". That's basically the most important background knowledge you need, the rest is pretty well explained through this chapter (although I have SO MUCH head canon for them). And if you're like me and would like a visual, I'm imaging Elizabeth Mitchell playing Gwendolyn and Dana Delany playing Madelyn.

This time when the alarm went off, Regina found that she didn't jerk awake, but instead slowly crawled towards consciousness, becoming increasingly aware of the warmth of the bed and the body wrapped around her.

"Uh, no, 'Gina, turn it off. 'S the weekend." Emma mumbled into her neck, while her arm blindly swatted in the direction of the night stand. She somehow managed to hit the power button and silence the alarm clock, before her arm fell around Regina's body, pulling her closer.

"Emma," she tried to protest, but found her eyes already slipping back closed. She knew she needed to get up and get out of the bed – it was obvious Emma wasn't awake enough yet to remember their situation – but Emma began humming softly and she found herself lulled back to sleep before she could make herself move away.

* * *

The next time they were awoken was by a little body bouncing on the bed before slamming down on top of them.

"Mommy! Momma! Wake up!"

Emma let out an "oof" as she rolled over and pulled Eva with her, off of Regina. She tried to snuggle the wiggling girl into her arms, but Eva was having none of it. "Momma, stop it! No more sleeping! Wake up!"

"Just a few more minutes, Bug." Emma pleaded and Regina heard a chuckle from the doorway. She opened her eyes to find Henry leaning against the doorframe, laughing.

"Sorry, Ma. I held her off as long as I could."

"Sure ya did, kid." Emma groused, but she was smiling as she began tickling Eva's sides.

Tiny feet kicked out and hit Regina's back as Eva shrieked. "Help, Mommy! Help!"

Regina rolled over and tugged Eva from Emma's grasp, wrapping her up in a snug embrace and planting a kiss to her temple. "I've got you, little one. How are the ears today?"

"Fine, Mommy." Eva wiggled. "Can we have breakfast now?"

Regina turned to look at Emma. "She must be your child. She's exactly like you – always thinking of food."

"Hey!" Emma laughed as she rolled out of bed, "I resemble that remark."

Henry mocked booing her and Regina tossed a pillow at her head before sinking back and looking at Eva with a grin. "Breakfast, you say?"

"Yes! Yes!" Eva jumped up and bounced on the side of the bed that had been vacated by Emma.

"I can get them something if you want to –" Emma began to offer and from the quick flash on her face, Regina was aware that she'd remembered all that had happened in the past days.

"Don't be silly." She shook her head. "I can handle making our children breakfast. Go, shower. Your hair is a mess." She didn't even realize that she'd used the word 'our' when referring to the children that didn't actually belong to her, but to this world's version of her.

Emma beamed and leaned over the bed, kissing Eva's own unruly curls before dropping a quick one against Regina's forehead. "See you in a bit. Pick something good, okay, Bug?"

Henry watched the scene from the doorway, his brow furrowing. "Hey, why does she get to pick breakfast?"

"'Cause you got to pick dinner last night, silly!" Eva grinned.

"Uh, wait a second. I let you have my pick." Henry reminded her.

Eva's grin grew wider as she shrugged her shoulders. "Tough luck, Henry."

"Oh man, Regina," Emma's voice laughed from the bathroom as the shower water began to run, "that was all you! I can tell even without seeing the expression on her face."

Regina felt her face flush with pride.

* * *

"So, what would you like for breakfast this morning, little one?" Regina asked once the three of them made it down to the kitchen. They were all still in their pajamas and although Regina had felt hesitant to stay in them, she had to admit that it felt nice to be with the children this way – comfortable and together on a Saturday morning.

Eva pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, even as she closed her eyes and scrunched up her nose in full concentration. It was the picture of adorable. Then, after a full minute of pondering, her eyes flew open and a smile spread over her lips as she happily proclaimed, "Bird's nests!"

Regina blinked in surprise. "What?"

Eva rolled her eyes with a giggle. "Bird's nests, Mommy!"

Regina's mind began to whirl back through the many recipes she had made for Henry over his childhood, but nothing at all was coming to mind that she had ever called "bird's nests", nor that she could think of that Eva would try to call that. "Eva, I'm not sure –"

"Hey!" Emma's voice cut through the air and Regina glanced over to the steps to see her coming down them, hair still damp, but in lounge pants and a tank top. "What do you think you're doing, asking Mommy to make you those?" Emma scooped Eva up, flipping her upside down before turning her back over and blowing raspberries on her cheeks. "You know those are Momma's specialty."

"Yeah, but Mom knows how to make them, right?" Henry protested, his eyes glued to Regina and a strange look on his face.

"Well, sure she does." Emma smiled at him. "But that's kinda my thing. So, how about I make Eva her bird's nests and you have Mom cook you whatever you want? We'll tag team breakfast this morning."

Emma sat Eva back in her chair then moved to pull out bread, butter, and eggs. Regina watched her out of the corner of her eye, even as she turned to Henry, thankful for the quick save. They hadn't discussed what to tell the kids yet.

"So, what would you like for breakfast, Henry?" She smiled.

"Crepes?" Henry asked with a hopeful gleam in his eye. They weren't something that Regina made often, but when she did they were amazing.

"Oooh. Yes. I second that!" Emma grinned as she put the frying pan over the heat. "Bug, you sure you don't want some of Mommy's crepes?"

"No. I wants a bird's nest." Eva was adamant. "'sides, I'll just steal some of yours, Momma."

"Oh you think?" Emma swatted her gently with the spatula she pulled from a drawer before getting out a piece of bread.

"Will you make it a heart, like Mommy does?" Eva asked, being sure to stick out her bottom lip.

"Thanks for teaching her that, by the way." Emma smirked at Henry as she pulled out a cookie cutter and pressed it into the center of the bread, leaving a heart shaped hole in the center. Emma balled up the piece of bread she'd removed and tossed it up, catching it in her mouth with a grin.

Regina rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop a smile from spreading onto her face at Emma's antics. "I swear, I have three children, not two. Are you sure you should be around a hot stove?"

Emma stuck out her tongue and raised an eyebrow slightly in challenge. "Hey, if you wanna make the bird's nest…"

Regina frowned. Emma was well aware that she didn't know how to do so. But in the next second, arms were wrapping around her waist and Emma was swaying them back and forth. "I'm only teasing." She offered with a quick kiss to Regina's temple before pulling away to put the bread in the frying pan and then crack an egg into the heart shaped hole.

Regina watched in interest even as she moved on autopilot, making the batter for the crepes. While Emma tended to the bird's nest – which was just a fried egg in the middle of a piece of toast – she moved about the kitchen getting things Regina needed without ever being asked. It was as though this was a routine for them, a well oiled machine of domesticity that Regina had a hard time fathoming.

"And now for the flip!" Emma flipped the piece of toast over, taking the egg with it. "Oh yeah! No cracked yolks for you, Bug."

Eva clapped happily and Emma made a large showing of bowing before turning back to press gently down on the toast before scooping it up and putting it on a plate.

"Voila! One bird's nest."

"Thanks Momma!" Eva grinned as she happily stuck her fork in the middle, breaking the yolk and letting it run all over the bread.

"Anytime." Emma winked. "Now, I will just get out of Mommy's way and leave the crepes to her."

Once Emma sat down at the table, Regina allowed her concentration to fall back on the crepes and she quickly had a batch ready. Henry ate his with powdered sugar, strawberries, and syrup, while Emma added sliced bananas, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream to hers. True to her word, Eva stole some bites of Emma's crepes and Emma pretended to take no notice. Regina whipped up a sweet apple filling for her own and managed to take no offence when no one else at the table seemed interested in it at all.

"Alright," Emma grinned after she'd cleaned her plate, "Mom and I cooked, which means you two are on clean up duty."

"But Ma, I told Paige I'd meet her this morning. We're going to work on some school work and then go to the movies." Henry protested.

"Which sounds great – right after you finish washing the dishes."

Eva jumped up from her seat, carrying her plate to the sink. "C'mon, Henry. I'll dry!"

"And there's the Regina eye roll." Emma smirked as she swatted Henry when he walked by.

"And to think, you used to be the fun mom." He laughed as he leaned over and picked up her plate.

"Times change, kid." She laughed. "But I'll remember you said that about fifteen minutes from now when you ask to borrow my car."

"Oh Ma, you know I was only teasing."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Less talking, more washing."

"Henry, if you really want –" Regina started to say, moving to stand up and go do the dishes, but Emma's hand wrapped around her wrist stopping her. She gave a gentle shake of her head.

Henry turned to look at his mothers, his hands in the dishwater, confusion on his face. "What?"

Regina offered him a smile. "To not have to drive that death trap that Emma calls a car, I'll let you take mine. After you do the dishes."

Henry grinned. "Thanks, Mom," he turned back to the sink, looking down at Eva. "Ready to start drying?"

"Aye aye, cap'n!" Eva giggled.

"We let the kids do some chores. They complain, but they actually like doing it." Emma whispered as she leaned back, watching as Henry scooped up bubbles at blew them at Eva, who fell into fits of giggles. "Besides, he's 17 now. I think he can handle doing the dishes."

"When did you grow up?" Regina whispered back, eying Emma carefully. She'd never imagined that Emma would be the one enforcing chores or, in fact, being anything other than "the fun mom", as Henry had called it.

"Who says I did?" Emma leaned closer, but the rest of her thought was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell.

"I gots it!" Eva exclaimed as she let the dish towel drop and raced towards the door.

"Wait for us," Emma cautioned as she quickly got up to follow Eva to the door.

To her credit, Eva waited until Emma was in view of the door before pulling it open and letting out a happy squeal. "Auntie Ruby!"

"Hey, pup." Ruby smiled, easily catching and shifting Eva's body onto her hip when the little girl dove towards her. "Hey boss lady."

"Hey, Rubes." Emma smiled as she took the stack of folders Ruby was managing to balance quite effectively, even with Eva clinging to her. "These the files you said you needed me to look over and sign?"

"Yep. I figured I'd drop them by on my way over to The Tower."

"Thanks. I'll check them over and try to get them all signed tonight."

"You's going to The Tower?" Eva's eyes were wide.

"Sure am. Gotta go see how Auntie Gwen's making out with the Saturday crowd. Say, you wouldn't want to come with me, would you?" Ruby asked as though she was just thinking of the idea, but Emma could tell that she'd been planning this from the beginning.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Eva exclaimed, her arms hugging even tighter around Ruby's neck. "Can I, Momma? Please?"

Emma shook her head, laughing. "Only if Auntie Ruby and Auntie Gwen are sure they want to try and wrangle you for the afternoon. And only if you go get dressed. You can't go climbing in your pajamas."

"Okay! Wait for me, Auntie Ruby." Eva wiggled out of her arms and took off up the steps.

"Will do, pup." Ruby called after her.

"What's all the noise?" Regina asked as she came out of the kitchen, stopping short at the unexpected sight of Ruby.

"Eva's gonna go to The Tower with Ruby and Gwen for the afternoon. She's pretty excited about it." Regina's brow furrowed, but she didn't get to question Emma who had already turned back to Ruby. "Are you sure about this, Rubes? You know she can be a handful at times."

"Are you kidding me? I think Gwen would string me up if I didn't bring her over today. You know we love Eva. Besides, it's good practice for us and it's good for you and Regina to get some alone time, too." Ruby wiggled her eyebrows and Emma rolled her eyes. Regina quickly looked at the floor. "I could take Henry too, if you wanted. Invite some of his friends over. We'll let them climb for free."

"Thank you for the offer, honestly, but Henry's got plans with Paige."

"Aaah." Ruby smirked, knowingly. "Wouldn't want the aunties around, cramping his style then."

"No, I'm sure he wouldn't." Emma smiled at her friend. "So, practicing, huh? Does this mean..."

Ruby's cheeks colored to match the red shirt she was wearing as she looked down, an almost bashful smile stretching across her lips. "Not yet. I mean, we decided that we definitely want to. We just haven't decided what route to go yet."

"That's awesome, Rubes, seriously." Emma hugged her tight and Regina just continued to watch, confused and trying not to show it.

Ruby smiled widely when she pulled back. "It is, isn't it? We haven't really told anyone yet. I mean, you guys, obviously, because we came to you for information but... we haven't told Madelyn or Granny yet, so please don't say anything."

"Of course not. Our lips are sealed." Emma promised. Regina's mind whirled. Gwen. Madelyn. No, it couldn't be.

"Momma! Help!" Eva's voice floated down from upstairs.

"Uh oh. Better go see what Bug needs rescuing from. Be right back."

Regina felt completely unsure of herself when left alone with Ruby, none of which was helped by the fact that she was still in her pajamas. She had no idea what their relationship was like here and didn't know how she should approach it. So she decided not to approach it at all. "I should really go check on Henry. He was doing the dishes."

"Okay then." Ruby watched her go with a confused frown.

A moment later Henry came down the steps and Ruby's frown deepened. "Hey. I thought you were doing dishes?"

"I was, but then I finished and went up to get ready to go meet Paige. Why?" Henry looked puzzled and Ruby just shrugged, looking towards the kitchen.

"No reason."

"Alright. We've got one Bug ready for climbing." Emma proclaimed as she came down the steps, Eva on her back. "Hair crisis averted and all."

"Perfect." Ruby smiled, taking in the carefully pulled back curls.

"Alright, Bug, go run and tell Mommy goodbye, okay? Henry, you too, especially if you want to take her car."

"Hey," Ruby said once the kids had gone into the kitchen, "is everything okay with Regina? Is she still feeling sick or something? Because she was acting kind of weird and…"

"She's fine." Emma said quickly and then seemed to catch herself. "I mean, it's just been a long couple of days. Which is why it'll be nice to have the house to ourselves this afternoon. So thank you again."

"Of course. Any time. You know that."

"Let's go, Auntie Ruby, let's go!" Eva called as she ran out of the kitchen, Regina and Henry trailing behind.

"Bye Momma. Love you!" She called without even stopping to give her a hug and Emma laughed.

"Well, I see where I rate."

"C'mon, c'mon. I wanna see Auntie Gwen and go climbing, Auntie Ruby!"

"Alright, pup, calm down." Ruby scooped Eva up. "I'll call you before I bring her back around. Just in case."

"Eww, Ruby." Henry huffed as he pecked his mother's cheek and headed out the front door.

"Sorry, kid." Ruby laughed. "Bye, Em. Bye, Regina."

"Bye, Rubes. Thank your wife for me!"

"Will do."

"Bye, Mommy! Bye, Momma!"

"Bye, Bug." Emma closed the door and leaned against it, letting her eyes fall closed for a moment. "Sorry." Emma breathed when she opened her eyes. "I didn't think Eva'd ask you for something you didn't know how to make, especially because besides bird's nests, you taught me how to cook everything I can make. And I forgot I told Ruby that she could drop those files by and that it might be awkward since you're not... well, you right now. Or her, I guess."

"It's... alright." Regina murmured. "It's not your fault."

"It kinda is, actually. Your world's version of me anyway. I mean, I did toss the hat right?"

"In any case, it was not harmful what happened this morning. Just... uncomfortable." She glanced down at her pajamas for a moment before looking back to Emma. "I do wonder though, do we – you – often trust Eva to go with Miss Lucas to this... Tower?"

Emma grinned. "With her Auntie Ruby? Yeah. Rubes adores Eva and is totally trustworthy. Plus, with Gwen there, it's perfectly safe. I mean, she runs the place, so she's a stickler for safety."

"Gwen. Gwen..." Regina let her voice trail off in question as she watched Emma deposit the files on the end table.

"Gwen Gardner. Well, Gardner-Lucas now."

Regina sucked in a breath. So it was true. Emma seemed to catch on to her train of thought. "Yep, Rapunzel managed to get down from her tower and out into the world."

"But, but how? Madelyn kept her under lock and key."

"You're right. She did. Until she got out and found a family of her own. She's Madelyn Tillman now. It was all Henry's idea, naturally. Once Maddy had Michael and the twins to love and care for, she loosened the reins on Gwen. Lucky for her and Ruby."

"Maddy? She actually goes by Maddy now?" Regina frowned, thinking of the imposing redhead she'd known in the Enchanted Forest. She could not imagine Gothel ever going by such a soft nickname, even in this world where her name was different.

"She resisted at first, but once the kids started calling her Maddy, all bets were off. She adores them. She got the children she always wanted and they got the mom they needed. Besides one instance where she tried to build them a ladder-less tree house to keep them safe from the world, it's been great."

Regina blinked rapidly, trying to digest this information. "And so Gwendolyn now owns this Tower place?"

"It's an indoor rock climbing facility. The kids all love it. It's been a great hit with everyone, actually. It's got fairy tale themed rooms for the kids as well as harder 'normal' rooms for the more experienced climbers. Eva's probably half way up a dragon by now."

"And Gwendolyn is now married to Ruby?"

"Yep. They got married about a year after Eva was born. She was their junior flower girl – Ava pulled her in a wagon – and Henry was the ringer bearer. You and I were bridesmaids." Emma moved around, her eyes scanning the wall until they caught sight of the picture she was looking for. Pulling it down, she handed it over to Regina.

Regina took in the wedding portrait that showed the young women together in the middle, Ruby holding an adorably dressed Eva and Gwendolyn, her long hair braided down her back with flowers weaved in, hugging Henry from behind. She and Emma were on either side of them, both in red dresses.

She looked up at Emma. "But how..."

"Oh. Well same-sex marriage is legal in Maine now. But you know as well as I do – probably even better – that Storybrooke isn't governed by the same rules as the outside world. They wanted to get married and here in Storybrooke, the only place it will ever matter for them since no one can leave, it's legal."

Regina looked down at her bare left hand. "It's legal here. Ruby and Gwendolyn are married and yet we aren't, are we?"

Emma let out a chuckle at that. "Us? No. We're not married."

It was the wrong thing to do. Regina turned and headed for the stairs. "I see."

It took a moment for Emma to realize what had happened – what she had inadvertently done. It was so easy to forget that this Regina didn't know of their shared history, didn't remember conversations they'd had, moments that had defined them. "No, wait, Regina, you don't!"

She raced up the stairs and found Regina in the bedroom sitting on the chaise looking blankly out the window. "Regina."

"We share children together. We live together. But we aren't married." She looked up and Emma could see the sheen of tears in her eyes. "Is it because you don't think I would make a good enough wife for you?"

"What? No. God, Regina, of course not."

"Then what?" Regina questioned and Emma moved to sit on the lounge as well, grabbing Regina's hands in her own.

"I'm sorry. I forget that you're not her, that you don't know what we've been through, what we know and what we've shared. But you have to know that the reason we aren't married has nothing to do with me thinking you wouldn't be good enough. I know you'd be the best wife there ever was. But I would never ask that of you. Never."

"Why not?" A fire sparked in Regina's eyes and Emma couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face for a moment before she turned serious once again.

"Because I know what your first marriage was like." She purposely kept her voice low and soothing, her thumbs tracing patterns over the backs of Regina's hands, but Regina flinched at the words anyway. "I know the hell that it was and I could never, ever ask you to go through that again. Because I know that's what marriage – any marriage, even to me – would be to you. You'd be binding yourself. And I don't want that for you. I never want you to feel that way again. I promised you once that you'd never feel trapped or controlled or like my possession and I meant it then and I mean it now. That's why we're not married."

A single tear slipped down Regina's cheek at the end of Emma's speech as she realized just how much the woman in front of her knew her and what's more, how much she loved her. She wondered if the Regina of this world could even fathom it, could even know how lucky she was.

"Besides," Emma smiled as she carefully wiped away the tear, "I don't need a piece of paper saying that you're mine or that our love is forever. I already know that right here." She moved their joined hands over her heart and that's when Regina noticed it.

"You're wearing my ring."

Emma looked down at the emerald ring that graced her left ring finger. "Yep. We aren't married by law but we did kind of do our own thing after Eva was born. We signed the papers so that we were both the legal parents of the kids and then we came back home and had kind of a family ceremony under your apple tree. Just us and just for us. You gave me your ring and I," Emma got up and moved over to the dresser, picking up the circle pendant that Regina had noticed laying next to her jewelry that first night. Only then did she realize that it wasn't laying next to her jewelry but _with_ her jewelry because it was now hers, "gave you my circle pendant. So you could wear it by your heart and not have to put it on your finger."

She pressed the circle into Regina's palm. "It's another reason I knew you weren't her. You weren't wearing it and my Regina always did."

Regina found herself overcome with emotion as she closed her fist around the circle. It felt so similar and yet so different to the ring that Daniel had given her. It held more weight somehow – more emotion, more understanding. Her heart beat faster as she thought of Emma's words, of Emma's love and understanding. They were not legally bound besides to their children, but somehow, just looking into Emma's eyes, she knew that they were connected in a way that no one else – not Ruby and Gwen or even Snow and Charming – ever would be.

Her fingers shook as she moved to put the necklace on, but Emma's – sure and strong – settled over hers and easily hooked it around her neck, carefully settling it against her skin.

"Besides," Emma smiled, "this is better, don't ya think?"

"Yes." She murmured, her hand covering the circle and her heart. "This is better."


	10. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks to The Mafia for their continued help and encouragement on this story. 
> 
> There is a song used in this chapter. I don't own the rights to the song and mean no infringement. It's just for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

They stayed in silence for a while, just sitting together as Regina tried to gather her emotions and thoughts. Finally, Emma stood and offered her a smile. "I'm going to head downstairs and grab those papers Ruby left for me to sign. I'll probably work on them in the study. Whenever you're ready, you know where to find me."

She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of Regina's head before disappearing from the bedroom. Regina watched her go, amazed yet again at Emma's insightfulness. She knew that Regina needed time alone to process things and she had given her that without Regina ever needing to ask or making her feel like she was weak for it. Instead, she'd offered it up easily, being there as a reassuring presence and then leaving – but not abandoning – her to her thoughts.

Regina moved the circle around her neck back and forth as her mind worked on processing all that had happened.

* * *

"What is a doubting day?" Regina asked when she finally entered the study to find Emma almost an hour later. The study, like the rest of the house, looked different now than it had before. Less sterile, more lived in. She thought back to that first night when she'd brought Emma in here and she'd seemed so nervous. Now though, reclined back with her legs up and police reports spread all around her, she looked as though she belonged there.

"Hmm?" Emma glanced up from her police reports, offering a smile to Regina as she picked up the glass of cider she'd poured before starting in.

"That first morning, when you got in the shower with me and I –"

"Freaked out?" Emma smirked remembering all too well Regina's reaction to her.

"Withdrew." Regina corrected, although she was well aware that Emma was right, she had freaked out. "You said that it was a doubting day. And you looked so –" She couldn't find the words, but she could easily conjure the image of Emma's face that morning. "What's a doubting day?"

"Oh." The file closed and was put aside, as Emma pushed herself up and patted the seat beside her. Regina took it, looking at Emma, surprised to see her looking so unsure. "Um, well, you know, it wasn't exactly easy for you to… accept my love at first. It took some time for you to get it. And even after you did there would be days where I'd say I loved you and I'd know you didn't truly believe me. So… doubting days."

Regina blinked in surprise. Everything with this Emma had seemed so easy and so perfect. It had never occurred to her that their relationship had had some hard patches.

Emma laughed. "It's not always all sunshine and puppies, Regina. Where's the fun in that? Our relationship isn't perfect. We still fight, sometimes like hell. There are shouting matches and slamming doors, although we've gotten better with that when the kids are around. But I think – and I think you think so too – that any good relationship is worth the fight. And there's no one I'd rather fight with than you."

The double meaning to her words wasn't lost on Regina and a slow smile spread across her face. For so long, she had been the one constantly fighting to hang on to everything all alone. To know that now there was someone beside her, someone willing to fight with her, for her, for their family, well, it was amazing.

Emma bumped their shoulders together, offering her another smile. "Speaking of puppies – Henry and Eva really want to adopt Lucky, so what do you think?"

"I – I can't – what would your Regina say?"

Emma's face lit up as she considered her Regina's reaction. "She'd be totally, adamantly against it. But I'd ignore her and adopt the puppy for the kids anyway. And she'd act like she was all mad about it and threaten to make me sleep on the couch. But she'd really secretly love the little guy. And we'd all end up in our bed that night."

Regina couldn't stop the smile from once again spreading slowly across her face. "Well then, it sounds like you've got your answer."

"Yeah. I guess I do."

"It does make me wonder though…" Regina said, thinking of the other thing that had been plaguing her mind, "Lucky?"

"Yeah?" Emma's brow furrowed in confusion.

"It's not the first… suggestion of… there… that I've heard."

"There? You mean The Enchanted Forest?"

Regina exhaled at the words, although she wasn't sure why she was so relieved to hear Emma speak of it so plainly. She knew Emma was aware of the curse already. "Yes."

"Well, I mean, that's always been true though, hasn't it? Sidney named his paper The Mirror. The bar in town is called The Rabbit Hole. There have always been references."

"Yes, but Ruby called Eva 'the pup'."

"And I call her Bug. It's just a nickname, nothing more."

"Gwendolyn's gymnasium is called The Tower. Kathryn named her daughter Abigail and your pa–" Regina trailed off, suddenly realizing what she'd been about to say, and what it all meant.

"My parents?" Emma offered softly, then gave a gentle shake of her head. "David and Mary Margaret. My friends. David and Mary Margaret Nolan."

"Emma –"

"Regina. It's okay." Regina knew she wasn't just referring to her worry about the names, but also to her fear of what she'd caused Emma to lose. "I already told you, the only ones who know about the curse are Belle, Gold, Jefferson, Henry, you and me. We've all agreed that it's better to put it all behind us and go on with our lives here. No one else knows, they don't even have an inkling. They're not remembering anything except that those names seemed somehow important to them."

"And if they do remember?"

"They won't." Emma sounded so sure.

"How can you know? The curse… it has to be broken at some point… it should've already been broken… unless…" Something struck her and she glanced up at Emma with wide eyes.

"Uh uh. Don't even start thinking that what Regina and I have isn't True Love." And there was a fire in Emma's eyes, a fierceness in her voice that took Regina off guard. This woman – this savior – would fight against anyone who tried to claim that she didn't have True Love with Regina. Even with Regina herself.

"But the curse… it isn't broken. It…"

"Did you ever think," Emma's eyes became more playful, "that maybe there's more than one way to break a curse? Or better yet, maybe there was more than one curse that needed broken?"

"What? Are you saying the curse is broken? But how…."

"Ah, now that, would be telling. And it wouldn't be fair to spoil it for you."

"Emma!"

"Regina!" Emma sassed back at her with a laugh until her phone went off. "Saved by the bell." She laughed as she picked up the phone.

Regina studied her as she spoke, trying to decipher what Emma could've meant. Regina always imagined that if the curse was broken, everyone would remember and they would go back to the Enchanted Forest. That had obviously not happened in this world, and yet Emma seemed to believe that the curse, whatever it was, had broken somehow. She wished she could get an answer out of Emma, wished she could know exactly what it was that had happened, what the savior had done to get them to this point because Regina was sure that despite what Emma said, she herself hadn't done them any favors in getting here.

But then she caught sight of the photo on the mantel above the fireplace of their family, goofing around on the beach, and she realized it didn't matter how they had gotten here. It only mattered that they had gotten here.

"That was Rubes. She and Gwen are taking Eva over to Granny's to grab a bite, wanted to know if we wanted to meet them? Henry and Paige are already there apparently and Maddy and Michael and the kids are going to join them too. Plus, you know Granny's, the whole town could be there for all we know. If you aren't feeling up to it –"

"No. I – I think it'd like that."

"Great." Emma beamed. "Let's get dressed then! I told Ruby we'd need a little while to get dressed, so be prepared for salacious looks and comments."

Regina just chuckled.

* * *

"Momma! Momma!" Eva raced over to them before they managed to make it the whole way in the door. Emma scooped her up without even breaking her stride, heading to join the large group that had congregated at the back of the diner. Regina watched, still amazed by this version of Emma, this mother-sheriff-friend-lover who managed to keep it all together so easily. "I climbed the whole way to the top of the dragon!"

Emma gasped, her eyes going wide. "No! You didn't!"

"Yes huh!" Eva giggled. "Tell her, Auntie Gwen!"

Gwen looked up from where she and Ruby had their heads pressed together, whispering, and smiled widely. "She sure did. The whole way to the top on her very first go. Look."

Gwen handed her phone over, revealing a picture of a grinning Eva, waving from the top of the wall where a dragon was painted.

"I even writed my name on the book!"

"Wrote." Emma corrected this time as she kissed Eva's cheeks. "You're just a little knight in training, aren't you?"

"Uh huh! It was awesome! Look, Mommy!" Eva held the phone up for Regina to see, grinning widely.

Regina felt her heart skip in fear for just a moment at how high up it seemed the little girl was before she smiled widely too. "That's incredible, little one."

"So," Ruby grinned, leaning over as they sat down, "did you have a fun afternoon without the kids?"

"Ew, Ruby, c'mon!" Henry protested from beside Paige and everyone else at the table burst into laughter.

Regina watched, nearly awestruck, as Madelyn laughed until tears formed in her eyes, leaning against Michael the entire time. She'd never seen happiness like that before in her eyes, not even when Rapunzel had been a child.

Emma rolled her eyes. "We had a fine afternoon. Regina relaxed and I did paperwork."

"Seriously? The kids were out of the house and you did paperwork?" Madelyn managed, a dry husk to her tone.

"You forget, Maddy, that Emma works for the mayor." Michael grinned. "Getting her paperwork done is _very_ important, I'm sure."

"Ah. Yes. Business before pleasure, isn't that right, Regina?"

"And if it isn't done correctly, I'm sure that the mayor would have no problem meting out punishment right there in her office. Would she?"

"No more than the sheriff would have a problem locking someone up if they were misbehaving." Ruby wiggled her eyebrows.

Regina felt her cheeks begin to color. Emma again rolled her eyes. "You guys are awful. And there are children present right now. Including our already scarred for life son and our innocent daughter. So knock it off."

Gwen quickly reached across the table to grab Regina and Emma's hands. "We were only teasing, you know that."

"Of course they were. What you do is your business." Granny said as she came to take everyone's orders. "Just like what Ruby and Gwen do in the supply closet when they think no one is around is their business."

"Granny!" Ruby hissed while Gwen colored.

"And what Maddy and Dad do in the tree house that is _right outside my window_ ," Ava huffed, "should be no one's business but their own."

Now it was Maddy's turn to color as Michael went white. "I – uh – I mean –"

"Let's face it," Henry sighed, "all the kids in this town are going to need therapy."

"But at least we won't need sex ed." Nicholas laughed.

"Mommy? What's sex ed?" Eva asked innocently and the entire table dissolved in laughter once again.

* * *

"I'm sorry." Emma apologized after they had sent the kids up to get ready for bed. "About dinner and all that conversation beforehand."

"No. It was quite… enlightening." Regina nodded. And it had been, not only the conversation about everyone's sex life, but also the dynamic of the dinner. The way everyone seemed to accept her, just as they all accepted each other. They were happy. There was no other explanation for it. Everyone was simply happy.

She swallowed and then forced herself to ask what had been on her mind since it had been brought up. "Do we really…"

"Have sex at your office? And in the cell at the station?" Emma smirked. "What do you think?"

Regina's eyes went wide. Although she was no prude, she also had never done anything like that in any place that could be considered public.

"Don't worry," Emma soothed when she saw how shocked Regina looked, "we've kinda cooled it down since Eva was born. I mean, Henry was already pretty much a goner, but we thought we shouldn't corrupt or scar Eva right away. We still manage to get some time together – like when Rubes and Gwen take the kids or whatever – but we pretty much stick to the house now. Unless it's a really special occasion."

"And the people of the town? They… accept this?"

"What, that we're having sex? Uh yeah. Didn't you hear us spilling about everyone else at dinner? And that's just the people that were there. I can tell you some great ones that I've been called to break up. Kathryn and Fred under the bleachers at the high school. David and Mary Margaret –"

"Okay." Regina held up her hand. "Enough."

Emma laughed at that. "Seriously. It's okay. We all get it. We've all been there. We tease about it and we move on."

"It's different, here." Regina murmured as they headed upstairs. "This Storybrooke. It isn't like mine. It's so much… happier here."

Emma pulled her shirt over her head as she entered the bedroom before she turned, unashamed, to Regina. "Maybe it just seems that way because back in your Storybrooke you aren't happy. Or you don't let yourself be happy. I mean, not saying I know what all's going on back there, but the Regina that I know, she wasn't always comfortable with all of this either. Eating at the diner with everyone? No way. Let alone joking around and being friendly with them. But as she let her guard down and let the happy in, she got happier too."

Emma shimmed out of her pants and headed for the bathroom. "Just my two cents." She called out.

Regina looked at the door and thought she could spend a lifetime collecting pennies of wisdom from this woman.

* * *

The door to their bedroom – strange how easy it was to think of it that way now – creaked open and Regina looked up from her book in time to see dark curls toddle to Emma's side of the bed.

"Momma." Eva called, raising her arms up.

Emma looked down at the little girl with a wide grin before pulling her up into the bed and settling her on her lap. "What's wrong, Bug?"

"Couldn't sleep." Eva murmured, leaning her head against her mother's chest.

"You couldn't sleep?" Emma cooed softly, stroking her fingers through dark curls. "Well what do you think we should do about that?"

Eva's head rose from Emma's chest and she smiled widely. "Sing, Momma!"

"Sing?" Emma bumped their foreheads together. "You sure?"

"Yes!" Eva giggled. "Our song. With the 'tar!"

Emma appeared to be pondering the suggestion before she moved Eva off her lap and climbed out of the bed with a laugh. "Okay."

Regina opened her mouth to protest and say that they shouldn't give in to Eva, that they should take her back to bed because once they started a cycle, they'd never be able to break it, but found herself closing it when Eva crawled into her lap. She still wasn't entirely used to feeling the weight of the little girl in her arms, but as Eva snuggled up against her, Regina realized that the very last thing she wanted was for this little girl – her daughter – to go anywhere.

Emma returned to the bed carrying a rather beat up old guitar. Regina quirked an eyebrow at her. Emma smiled and shrugged. "I was in a band once."

"Of course you were." Regina replied and noticed the flicker on Emma's face.

"That's what you said the first time you found out." Emma admitted softly, before shaking her head and turning her attention to the miniature version of Regina in her arms.

"You ready, Eva Bug?"

"Yeah!" Eva giggled, crawling back over toward Emma.

"Let's show Mommy how you can play, okay?" Emma smiled as she settled Eva on her lap and the guitar on Eva's lap.

Eva giggled again. "Mommy knows Momma!"

Regina caught the look – it couldn't be called a flicker this time – of pain that flashed on Emma's face and in her eyes before she blinked and forced herself to smile. As far as Eva knew, Regina was the same mother that she'd always had and knew all the things about her that she always had. But Regina wasn't. She was an imposter in this life, stuck here while Eva's Mommy and Emma's Regina was somewhere else entirely.

"You're right, Mommy does know. But let's show her anyway." Emma squeezed the little girl in her arms tightly before raising slightly glassy eyes to Regina.

Eva's tiny fingers wrapped around the neck of the guitar, not even able to fully reach around, but making it far enough to land on the strings she needed. Her other hand gently began to strum the strings, as Emma used her own fingers to help Eva play. Regina recognized the melody that came out of the guitar – distorted though it was – as the song that Emma had been humming various times since she'd gotten here.

Looking at the two of them together, listening to the song that was beginning to take shape, Regina felt her heart expand with love and pride. The playing was by no means perfect, but Eva's face was tensed in concentration as she moved her little fingers.

When they stopped, Regina found herself clapping wildly for them. "That was wonderful, baby."

Eva beamed at the praise and looked up at her momma. "You're getting better every day." Emma smiled, placing a kiss on her head.

"Now you sing, Momma!" Eva demanded as she slipped out of Emma's lap and crawled back over to curl up in Regina's embrace.

"Your wish is my command, Bug." Emma inclined her head and then settled her fingers on the strings, beginning to play the same melody from before, only perfectly this time.

The door to their room opened again and Henry's head peeked in, taking in the scene.

"Henry!" Eva called joyfully at the sight of her brother. "Come on, Momma's playing our song!"

Emma grinned and jerked her head to the side. "Get in here, kid."

Still, Henry hesitated in the doorway, his eyes on Regina as though waiting for her permission. Regina realized with a sad jolt that the look in his eyes was the one that she saw so often from his younger counterpart in her Storybrooke, but that she hadn't seen here until this moment. It was caution and worry of how she would react to something. He had realized that something wasn't right with his mother that morning and now he was being overly cautious around her.

"You heard your mother and your sister," Regina said with a smile, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice, "get in here."

It seemed that was all Henry needed as he bounded forward, hopping on the bed and making Eva laugh wildly at his antics. Regina held her arms open and Henry snuggled into her embrace, his now long and lanky body feeling sort of awkward, but also entirely wonderful against her side. Eva stayed on her lap, laying back on Regina's chest and blanketing her with love and warmth.

Emma watched them all for a moment, still playing without much thought, just soaking in the sight of them.

"Sing, Momma!" Eva finally demanded.

"Yeah, Ma, come on."

Emma laughed and inclined her head towards them with a smile. She gave them a wink and then played a few more chords before she started to sing.

  
_"When people keep repeating_   
_That you'll never fall in love_   
_When everybody keeps retreating_   
_But you can't seem to get enough_

  
_Let my love open the door_   
_Let my love open the door_   
_Let my love open the door_   
_To your heart"_

 

Regina's breath caught in her throat as the words hit her. An image of the door that she'd chosen, that she'd been drawn to –the deep red door with the heart carved into it – flashed through her mind.

_The door to your heart._ Was that what it had been? Was this what her heart wanted? A home, a family, love. It felt so natural and easy here, even as she resisted it at every turn, but when she thought of the other world – the world that she had found herself living in for the past 28 years – it seemed almost impossible.

In that world, her Emma didn't look at her the way this Emma did. Henry wanted nothing to do with her. And there was no Eva to shower her with love and hugs and kisses.

  
_"When everything feels all over_   
_When everybody seems unkind_   
_I'll give you a four-leaf clover_   
_Take all the worry out of your mind_

  
_Let my love open the door_   
_Let my love open the door_   
_Let my love open the door_   
_To your heart"_

 

Emma continued to sing, smiling and making faces at her children and lover as she did. This was apparently a common occurrence here and Regina couldn't help but wonder how this particular song had become "their" song, as Eva insisted it was.

She also thought of the words again, the way Emma looked so knowingly, so understandingly at her. She seemed aware of Regina's thoughts and conflicts and was telling her that there was nothing to worry about if she just let Emma love her, the way that she'd proclaimed she did in their bedroom the night that she admitted she wasn't the woman Emma thought she was.

  
_"I have the only key to your heart_   
_I can stop you from falling apart_   
_Release yourself from misery_   
_Only one thing's gonna set you free_   
_That's my love"_

_Release yourself from misery._ Was that what this world was? A glimpse of what could happen if she allowed herself to let go of the pain and hate and embraced something else? Emma's smile glowed in the lamplight, Eva and Henry felt safe and solid against her, and in that moment, Regina knew. This could be hers. She could go back to her Storybrooke and still have this. Emma could save her from herself as she'd apparently done here. All Regina had to do was allow the other woman in.

   
 _"Let my love open the door_  
 _Let my love open the door_  
 _Let my love open the door_  
 _To your heart"_  


 

Emma caught her eye and their gazes locked as she strummed the guitar. She mouthed the words 'I love you' and Regina felt her heart skip a beat. She wanted to say the words back, but Emma started to sing the final verse, her eyes on Regina the entire time, as though doing her best to convey the truth of the words she was singing.

  
_"When tragedy befalls you_   
_Don't let them bring you down_   
_Love can cure your problems_   
_You're so lucky that I'm around"_

 

Regina smiled back, tears gathering in her eyes, and she nodded at Emma. She knew. She understood.

Eva snuggled closer, nuzzling against Regina's chest and gripping her nightgown. "Love you, Mommy." She murmured as her eyes slipped closed.

Henry also moved closer, yawning as his head fell on Regina's shoulder. "Love you, Mom." He said against her neck as he too surrendered to sleep.

"I love you both." Regina whispered back, her own eyes suddenly feeling too heavy to keep open. "I love you all."

And once again the world went black, as Emma's voice continued to softly caress her ears.

   
 _"Let my love open the door_  
 _Let my love open the door_  
 _Let my love open the door_  
 _To your heart"_  



	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some discussion of medical conditions in this chapter. I am not a doctor, so everything that is in this chapter comes from internet research. If anything is off, I apologize.

"Regina. Regina!"

Regina's head pounded as the voice filtered into her brain. "Mmm, Emma." She mumbled, her hand moving towards where she thought Emma would be to swat at her. She wasn't ready to get up yet. And wasn't it always Emma who was trying to make her stay in bed?

But instead of encountering Emma's warm body or the soft sheets, her hand hit cold, hard floor. Her eyes flew open and Emma's face swam into her vision.

"Regina! Are you okay?"

Blinking a few times, Regina realized that she wasn't in their bedroom, but instead in the sheriff's office. Her eyes locked on Emma and suddenly, she knew. This was her Emma. She was back in her Storybrooke.

Emma's face reflected concern, but her eyes were guarded, not open and shining with love like the other Emma's had been.

"Can you talk?" Emma asked, her fingers coming down to brush hair out of Regina's face.

"Yes." Regina nodded, leaning automatically into the touch.

Emma's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I think we need to take you to the hospital."

"Emma -" Regina started to argue, but calling her by her first name only seemed to cement Emma's belief that Regina needed to see a doctor.

"You fell and hit your head and were out for like twenty minutes –" Emma started to say, even as she helped Regina sit up.

"Twenty minutes?" How was it possible that she'd only been out for twenty minutes when she'd spent so much longer in the other Storybrooke?

Emma frowned at Regina's incredulous tone and quickly went on the defensive. "Look, I didn't know you'd fallen, okay? I was dealing with Mary Margaret and stuff from the arraignment and then I just came back in here and you were sprawled on the floor and - I didn't know."

"No." Regina muttered, her eyes flying around the room, trying to catch sight of the hat, but she couldn't see it anywhere. "That can't be right. This isn't right. I – I shouldn't be here. The portal – I didn't go back through the portal –"

"Regina?" Emma knelt down beside her as she put a steadying hand on her back. "You're not making a whole lot of sense right now. I really think we need to get you to a doctor, okay? I think you might've really hurt yourself when you fell."

"No, Emma, I'm fine. I just –"

"You called me Emma." Emma said softly, staring at Regina. "Are you sure you're –"

"I said I was fine!" Regina snapped, suddenly not able to handle Emma's gaze on her any more. She pushed herself up quickly and nearly lost her balance as her head swam and the room seemed to spin.

"Whoa!" Emma grabbed her waist to steady her. "That doesn't seem fine to me."

Regina just pulled away from the touch and quickly exited the station, her mind working overtime as she headed for her home.

"I really don't think you should be driving. Just wait and I'll take you home myself. Regina. Regina!" Emma called after her, but Regina was already out the door.

* * *

Regina opened the door to her mansion and braced herself for the little body that would be colliding with her. But when she stumbled backwards, it was only in surprise that the impact hadn't occurred.

"Eva?" She called out, even as her eyes took in the house. There were no books or toys scattered on the floor, no pictures hung in every available space – only stark decorations and blank white walls. "Henry?"

Her words echoed in the large, empty foyer and set her heart off at a rapid clip. No. This wasn't right.

"Emma?" Her voice sounded strangled and desperate as it bounced back to her ears only.

She hurried up the stairs, doing her best to ignore the ache that was quickly forming in her chest. She pushed her bedroom door open, expecting to see Emma's clothing strewn about, praying to catch sight of the awful red leather jacket that she knew would be thrown over the chair, but instead, everything was neat and tidy with no signs of the sheriff anywhere. Her hands flew to her neck, but the necklace that Emma had put there the day before was gone.

"No." She whispered as she moved out of the room and headed across the hall, pushing open the door to Henry's room. It was decked out in blue, with comic books and toys lying about. It was the room of a ten year old, not a seventeen year old.

"No. Please, no." With dread, she moved to the last door and slowly opened it. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she took in the plain guest room that should've been painted teal and covered in Barbies and fairy lights.

"Eva. _Please._ Eva." She whispered, but the words just echoed uselessly around the empty room.

It was then that what she'd realized at the station finally, truly sank in. Regina was back in her Storybrooke. And Eva – her daughter, her beautiful little girl – didn't exist.

* * *

"The hat worked."

Regina pushed her way into the house before he could slam the door in her face.

"Hello to you too, Regina. Please, do come in." Jefferson drawled, his tone bordering on hostile.

"The hat worked. How is it possible that it worked?"

Jefferson blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about, your majesty."

"The hat that Emma made – she activated it. She made it work somehow."

Surprise flashed across his features for a moment before he schooled his face. "I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb, Jefferson! I know she made the hat. I don't know how you managed it, but I know she did it. And I know she took the hat with her, back to the station. I know, because she activated the portal and I fell through. I took a door – a red door, with a heart carved in it – and it took me to another world. I need to know if that world was real, Jefferson."

"There are many real worlds, Regina. You know that."

"I need – I need to go back. I need to find out – I need to make sure – I need you to take me back." She knew she sounded desperate, but she didn't care.

"There's only one problem with that little idea, dearest." He mocked. "I don't have a hat that works." He flung his arm toward the room where the shelves were crammed with hats, none of them possessing the magic he needed.

Regina moved her hand from behind her back, revealing his hat. It had been exactly where she'd left it, hidden away in a crypt that was dark with no wildflowers or colored pictures to brighten it. "Now you do."

Jefferson stared at the hat as though it was a viper that could bite him at any second.

"I'll give you what you want, I'll give you Grace. Just say you'll open the portal for me." Regina pressed.

"My, my." Jefferson said, taking the hat and circling her. "I don't know what happened to you, but it certainly had an effect, didn't it?"

"I told you – I went through the portal to another world."

"You went through the portal – not of this hat, but of a hat that our dear sheriff supposedly made. And now you're willing to tip your hand in my favor because of it. Must've been some world."

"Will you help me, or not?" She huffed and Jefferson began to laugh.

He tugged the hat from her hands and placed it on the table top, spinning it with a practiced flick of his wrist. It circled a few times before stopping, sitting still and mocking her.

"No." She whispered, moving towards it.

"There is no magic here – you made it so. The hat will never work without it."

"But it did. It did work. It has to work!" She grabbed the hat with her own hands, willing it to work, just as Emma had in the other Storybrooke, but the result was the same. "I have to go back."

"Careful, Madam Mayor." He warned, his tone mocking. "You keep talking about hats and portals and other worlds in a land without magic and people might start to think you mad."

"No. Jefferson, it was real! And – and – you had her, there." She gasped, a last ditch effort to make him listen, to make him believe, but even as she reached for any details she could give him, she found them hazy at best. "Paige. Grace. You were together, a real family. She called you Daddy. And she was dating Henry and you were friends with Emma and –"

He turned back, his eyes blazing. "Now I know that you're crazy. There is no such world. You made damn sure of that. No more happy endings, remember?"

She thought of him as she'd known him in the Enchanted Forest, before Wonderland, and then as she'd known him in the other world, happy with his daughter. "Jefferson, please, I –"

"Get out! Take your hat and your hallucinations and get out!" He ranted, grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the door. "And don't you ever come back."

The slamming of his door felt like the last nail in the coffin that held her dying hope of returning to the other world.

* * *

Regina moved down Main Street, clinging to the hat Jefferson had thrown at her and trying to blink back tears. No one called out to her, no one stopped to ask how she was, no one offered her smiles or waves as she passed them. She felt just as disoriented walking down this Main Street now as she had walking down the other Storybrooke's Main Street for the first time.

And her disorientation must've been visible, because suddenly, Emma pulled up beside her in the squad car.

"Regina? Are you okay?"

She stopped abruptly at the sound of Emma's voice, turning with a smile, half expecting to see her standing there with Henry and Eva, but quickly stilling and frowning when she realized that wasn't the case. That was all gone now. "Yes. I'm fine."

Emma climbed out of the car. "You don't look fine to me. You've been crying. And you're carrying around a hat. Regina…"

"I said, I am fine." Regina hissed, turning to move away from her, hating how exposed she was in front of this Emma who didn't care at all.

"Hey." Emma grabbed her arm to hold her still. "Regina. This isn't a game. I'm not teasing here."

Regina pulled away sharply, her eyes widening. Those words. She knew those words. The other Emma had said them to her the night of the party when she'd passed out.

"I'm taking you to the hospital now, even if I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you, kicking and screaming the whole way."

"You wouldn't dare." Regina protested, but it was weak at best as she knew that Emma would in fact do exactly what she'd threatened.

"Wanna try me?" Emma raised a brow and Regina felt her shoulders slump down in defeat. "Now please, get in the car."

Regina slowly climbed in and allowed Emma to drive her to the hospital in silence.

* * *

"So, Regina, what seems to be the problem?" Dr. Whale asked as he came into the small examining room, looking over the vital information the nurse had already taken down.

"She fell and I think she hit her head." Emma answered before Regina could. "She's been acting strangely. I think she may have a concussion."

"Well, thank you, Dr. Swan," Dr. Whale quipped, then turned his gaze onto Regina. "And what is your diagnosis, Madam Mayor?"

Regina just frowned and let out a long sigh. "There is nothing wrong with me. I'm perfectly fine. I just want to get home to my fam – my son." She caught herself, swallowing hard as she remembered that she didn't have Eva and Emma and Henry to all go home to in this world. "I want to get home to my son."

"Regina," Emma spoke slowly, looking at Dr. Whale with concern, "you know that Henry is at his appointment with Archie, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Miss Swan!" She snapped back. "I merely meant that I wanted to go home and be away from all of this."

"Okay," Dr. Whale cut in, "well, why don't I check you over and we'll get you on your way? Now, Sheriff Swan says that you fell and hit your head. Do you remember that?"

"N-no. I remember being in the sheriff's office and arguing about a hat. Then she threw the hat at me and I –"

"And you what, Regina?"

"I – I don't remember. The next thing I know, I was on the ground."

"Is that true, Emma?"

Emma nodded. "She was questioning me about a hat I made. I tossed it at her and went back out into the station to deal with Mary Margaret's paperwork for her arraignment. I didn't really notice that Regina hadn't come out of the office until a while later when I went back in to get something from my desk drawer. That's when I found her on the ground, unconscious."

"And you don't know for how long she was unconscious?"

"Not for sure, no. I'm assuming the entire time I was gone – around twenty minutes or so. I managed to get her to come around but she seemed very confused. She was acting a bit strangely and talking about a portal and how she'd been gone for longer than twenty minutes. I was worried and wanted her to come in but she refused. Then I found her a little while later on Main Street. She again seemed really out of it – carrying another hat – and so I brought her here."

Dr. Whale nodded and jotted a few things down on his notepad. "I see. Regina, can I ask about the significance of the hats?"

"I – there is no significance. I merely had a hat with me and Miss Swan blew things out of proportion. I assure you that I am fine, Dr. Whale."

"I'm not so sure that you are, Madam Mayor. It sounds like Sheriff Swan is correct to me, you may have a concussion. I'd like to run a few tests to be sure that there's nothing else wrong and to try and confirm my diagnosis."

"Whale, this is not necessary." She gritted out, feeling her headache increase and her anger rise. She turned and sought out Emma's gaze, trying to convey her wishes, hoping that Emma would understand and help her out of this situation.

But Emma merely blinked and nodded along with Dr. Whale. "I think he's right, Regina. You need to get thoroughly examined." She glanced down at her watch. "It's almost time for Henry to be finished at Archie's. I'll go pick him up and bring him back here to you while Whale runs the tests, okay?"

"No. It is not okay." Regina protested, but both people in the room ignored her.

"That sounds like a plan, Sheriff. We'll see you in a bit. Regina, let's head down for a CT."

* * *

"Now that Sheriff Swan is gone, is there anything else you'd like to tell me about your injury, Regina?" Dr. Whale asked as he tried to get her settled in the CT machine.

"I don't have an injury. I have a headache. I am fine. I don't even need this CT scan." Regina insisted, trying to get out of the hospital as quickly as possible.

"Actually, you're not. From what I'm seeing and hearing, Emma was right. You've got yourself a concussion, Madam Mayor."

"What?" Regina frowned. "No. I – I can't."

"Well, we'll do the CT to be sure, but everything seems to be pointing that way. Now, Emma mentioned you saying something about being gone longer than 20 minutes. Do you think you went somewhere or something happened while you were unconscious?"

Regina frowned and tried not to squirm on the cold metal table. If she told Dr. Whale what had happened, he would think her crazy for sure and she'd end up in the psych ward with Belle. Or was Belle still in the psych ward?

"Regina?"

"I – no. Emma's mistaken."

"You're sure. Because hallucinations are very possible with concussions, especially if you were unconscious and it's important that I know –"

"Hallucinations?" Regina sat up quickly, staring at him.

"Yes. With brain injuries, if you're knocked unconscious, your brain can often times cause hallucinations. Make you think something has happened that really hasn't. Sometimes they can be normal, other times your brain can create very fanciful things. I've had patients wake up after a head injury and tell me that they could fly or that they were swimming with mermaids or went to a whole other world, all kinds of things. So it's important to let me know if you think you may have hallucinated during your black out."

"N-no." She whispered, even as her mind began to turn over the words, mixing with those from her encounter with Jefferson.

_Hallucinations._

_Now I know that you're crazy._

_Make you think something has happened that really hasn't._

_People will start to think you mad._

_Very fanciful things._

_No more happy endings, remember?_

_A whole other world._

_Take your hat and your hallucinations and get out!_

"All right, then just lie back down and we'll get the scan started."

* * *

"Well," Dr. Whale offered her a smile after she was dressed and sitting back in the exam room, "your CT was clean for any other traumatic brain injury and there is no indication of a brain bleed, which is good news. I was concerned due to the amount of time you were unconscious, but as I said, everything appears to be clear, which is a good thing. Still, I'd like you to stay here overnight for observation."

"Absolutely not!"

"Somehow I knew that would be the answer," he mumbled. "Madam Mayor, you need to be observed throughout the night. Someone needs to wake you every few hours to be sure that your symptoms aren't worsening. It really would be best for you to stay here, but if not, I'm going to have to ask someone to stay with you and I think we both know who that person will be."

"Emma," Regina whispered more to herself than anyone else, but Whale heard and his eyebrows rose.

"Sheriff Swan is the most likely candidate, yes."

Regina closed her eyes. "Fine. Fine. Just… let me get out of here. Let me go home."

Dr. Whale frowned. Ever since their discussion about hallucinations before her scan, Regina had seemed subdued. He worried that it was a mood swing caused by the concussion. "Alright. I'll give the Sheriff her instructions on what to look for. As for you, Regina, you need to get plenty of rest. Your brain needs time to recover, so I'd encourage you to take a few days off work. Paperwork and computer activities can be taxing on your brain."

Dr. Whale went to move out of the room, but was stopped by Regina's voice. "Whale?" She sounded young and uncertain. "You're sure I have a concussion?"

"Yes, Regina, very sure."

"And… it would've been caused by me falling and hitting my head?"

"More than likely, especially given what the Sheriff told me and your inability to remember."

"And if I'm having… memories of something occurring between the time Emma left and I woke up… memories that would take place over a much longer time than just twenty minutes… those would be…"

"Hallucinations, as I told you before. Why, Regina? Did you have memories of something else happening?"

"I – yes." She admitted softly, still looking down at the ground. "But… they don't make sense, at least by the standards of this world."

"This world?" Dr. Whale repeated, puzzled. "Regina, what do you remember? What do you think happened?"

She looked up at him and searched his eyes for a moment before she let out a sigh. "Nothing." She shook her head and stood up from the examining table. "Nothing happened at all."


	12. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some dialogue used in this chapter was taken directly from the episode "The Stable Boy" although it's in a slightly different context now. Remember, we're still AU here.

  
_**Chances that you miss.** _   
_**Ignore.** _   
_**Ignorance is bliss-** _   
_**What's more,** _   
_**You won't remember,** _   
_**You won't remember** _   
_**At all,** _   
_**Not at all** _   


* * *

The ride back to the mansion was silent. Regina stared, unseeing, out the window, unable to bring herself to look at Emma. It was obvious, so startlingly, heartbreakingly obvious that this was not the Emma that she had been married to.

But then, she hadn't been married to her at all. The other Regina, whoever she was, wherever she was, had. Regina had only been an interloper. And even that was apparently a figment of her imagination – a hallucination conjured by her mind in a need to – what, exactly? She still couldn't grasp it, and now it seemed so far away, so hazy, as though it was a fading dream. Which it had been, she supposed. There was no explanation – could be no explanation.

The slamming of the car door jolted her back to attention and she realized that they were – no, she was – home. Emma made no move to help her out of the car and so she climbed out herself, taking in the house that had been hers for the past twenty eight years.

It seemed different now, less somehow, although she couldn't explain why. Inside she understood, but the outside of the house had been unchanged in the other world. Yet it was still as though she was looking at a completely different place, a place void of the life that the other house had contained.

She moved up the front steps and inside quickly, flinching once again at the blank white walls. Emma's eyes were like lasers trained on her. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"Fine." Regina muttered, pushing images of the other house away. It had all been a dream, nothing more.

"You're back." Henry's voice called and she couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips at seeing him standing in front of her, no longer a seventeen year old man, but her ten year old boy. Her baby.

"Henry!" She cried, rushing forward to pull him into an embrace. An embrace that he did not return. Instead, he stood awkwardly still, not even bringing his arms up around her.

Regina felt as if she had been slapped. She pulled away abruptly, doing her best to blink back traitorous tears.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked, although there was no concern in his voice – just a dull, robotic sound, as though he was going through the motions.

"I –"

"Your mom fell and hit her head. She's got a concussion, so I'm going to be staying the night, monitoring her to make sure everything's okay." Emma explained.

"You're staying the night?" Henry's eyes lit up. "Awesome!" He lunged at Emma and hugged her, arms clinging tightly, and Regina couldn't watch the scene any more. While it had been sweet and heartwarming in the other world, here it only served as a painful reminder of just where she stood.

She would forever be the Evil Queen in Henry's mind. Unable to be trusted, unable to be loved. She turned quickly and went upstairs.

* * *

There was a soft knock on the door of the bedroom a second before it opened. "Well," Regina huffed, looking up from the vanity where she had been sitting, staring at her reflection, "you certainly waited an appropriate amount of time before opening the door. What if I had been getting changed?"

Emma just shrugged, her eyes hard. "Sorry, your majesty. Just figured I'd better check that you weren't lying unconscious on the floor again."

Regina did her best not to react to the title Emma threw her way. "Well I'm not, as you can see."

"Yeah." She turned to leave again.

"Miss Swan," Regina called, loathe to have her leave, but unable to admit it. "Why are you doing this?"

"Someone has to make sure you don't have complications through the night. I'm certainly not going to leave Henry alone with you like this. And who else is there, really? Your only friend is… gone."

"Because of your roommate." Regina hissed, hating the reminder of Kathryn when she could still picture her alive, laughing and running around after her daughter.

"So it would seem." Emma acquiesced before she took a step closer, her eyes darkening. "But you and I, we both know that Mary Margaret is being framed, don't we?"

"What exactly are you saying, Sheriff?" Regina arched a brow, standing up to meet Emma head on.

"I'm saying that you and I both know where that skeleton key under her mattress came from, don't we? And we both know that if something truly did happen to Kathryn, if she really is dead, well… her blood's on someone's hands alright. But not Mary Margaret's." Emma's eyes glanced down to where Regina's fists were clenched against her side.

"Since you have absolutely no proof of these claims and all the evidence you have gathered up until now points to one and only one person, I would suggest that you stop spewing these lies now, Sheriff Swan." Regina refused to back down, even as her heart ached at the tone of Emma's voice and the blankness of her gaze.

"I will not let her take the fall for something she didn't do. And as I've shown you before, you have no idea what I am capable of." Emma pushed away, moving to the doorway before she turned back. "I'll take care of Henry for the evening. You get some sleep. I'll be in to wake you in a few hours."

Emma slammed the door behind her as she left and Regina stared at it for a few moments before she collapsed on the bed, the tears she'd been fighting finally making their way to the surface as she cried against the pillows of a bed that seemed entirely too big for just herself.

* * *

"Mommy! Mommy!" The voice called to her and she opened her eyes suddenly, looking for the source. "Wake up, Mommy!"

She felt the press of a tiny body against hers and she looked down to find wide brown eyes grinning up at her. "Eva." She breathed, reaching out to pull the little girl into an embrace. "Oh Eva! You're here. You're real and you're here."

Eva wiggled out of the embrace, sitting up with a giggle. "Silly Mommy." She laughed.

Regina sat up too, wiping away the tears that had collected on her lashes at the sight of the little girl in her Princess Jasmine pajamas. "Yes, Mommy is very silly, thinking that it wasn't real – that you weren't real, huh?"

"No," Eva giggled, her whole body shaking under the weight of her laughter. "Yous silly for thinking I is real!"

"Wh-what?"

Eva suddenly stopped laughing, her face losing all its expressions of joy and instead becoming somber, so much so that it caused a moment of panic to flare up in Regina's chest. "I is not real. I never was."

"No. No. That isn't true." Regina argued, reaching out, trying to grasp the little girl, but no matter how far she reached, she couldn't take hold of her.

"Silly Mommy," she repeated, taunting, although her voice now took on the monotone that Henry's had. "How could I be real?"

"No. This – this isn't happening. You are real. You are."

"No I is not."

"Please." Regina cried. "Please, stop. Stop saying that. Please. Stop."

"Regina."

"Emma." Regina gasped, trying to find her in the darkness that was suddenly swallowing her. "Emma, please."

"Regina. Regina! Wake up!"

Strong hands were suddenly shaking her as Regina's eyes flew open. "Emma." She gasped, seeing her sitting on the bed.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked as she took her in. Regina thought there was a hint of compassion in Emma's voice, but it was so miniscule that she assumed she'd misheard it out of want for the other Emma. "You were calling out in your sleep."

"Sleep. I – I was dreaming. Again."

"Yeah. That's typically what people do when they sleep. Anyway, you sounded upset. And it was time for your first wake up call. Let me see your eyes. I need to check your pupils."

Emma went through the motions, checking Regina's pupils and asking the questions to test her cognition. When she was finished, she stood from the bed and moved back towards the door. "Everything seems fine now. There's pain medication on the nightstand if you need anything. It's been long enough that you can take more now. Call if you need anything. Otherwise, I'll be back in a few hours to wake you again."

Regina nearly called out to her to ask her to stay, but she swallowed the words at the last minute. They were not lovers here – they were nothing here, nothing but enemies. Emma was only doing this for Henry, there was no other reason. And she refused to show weakness in front of anyone, let alone this version of Emma Swan.

She dry swallowed two pills and then rolled back over, hoping her sleep would be dreamless this time.

Her wish, like all the others she'd made over the years, wasn't granted.

More images came to her, scenes from the other life – Emma with her loving eyes, Henry with his bright smile. Each seemed so wonderful at first, but they quickly turned on her, mocking and taunting her. They weren't real. How could they have been? Regina didn't deserve those things, not in this life or any other. They were sure to tell her that, amongst their laughter or the deadly seriousness.

Each time Emma – this Emma – woke her before the dreams got too horrible, but each time it was like a knife in her heart, going from one painful reality to another. Her dreams had turned on her and there was no comfort, not even from waking. Finally, at five o'clock, she refused to go back to sleep and instead got up and began her morning routine.

Her alarm clock didn't sound and Emma's sleep laden voice didn't beg for just five more minutes.

* * *

Regina was in the kitchen, brewing coffee when Emma and Henry entered. For one brief moment, she felt hope flicker in her heart. "Good morning," she smiled as brightly as she could manage. "What would you like for breakfast this morning? I can make crepes or –"

Henry shook his head, already pulling a banana off the bunch and being sure to steer clear of the apples. "I'm just gonna have a banana. Emma's gonna drop me at school on her way to the station."

"I figured you'd be tired after last night. Thought you'd like a break for the morning." Emma mumbled as Henry pushed past them. "Henry," she called and Regina could hear the words _"tell Mommy goodbye"_ echoing in her head.

"Don't forget your backpack," Emma said instead before she turned back to Regina. "Everything seemed fine last night, so I guess you're out of the woods."

Regina watched them both go without a goodbye.

A 'World's Greatest Mom' mug shattering as it impacted against the wall was the only sound that echoed through the empty house.

* * *

Regina found that she couldn't bring herself to even clean up the shattered mug on the kitchen floor. Everything was a mockery, a taunting painful reminder of the world that her subconscious had made and that it was so obviously not real.

She left the destruction behind without a backward glance, as she always did, and moved to the sanctuary of her study. But it, too, had been tainted.

She refused to even look in the direction of the sofa, pushing away thoughts of curls spilling over the armrest and papers spread across the coffee table. They were not real and she would ignore any inkling of them until they all just disappeared.

She moved quickly to her desk, her eyes scanning over the top of it until they came to rest on the object she desired to see. With reverence, she lifted the gold ring from its resting place and brought it up to her lips. "Daniel…" she whispered softly, reminding herself of exactly why she had done all that she had.

But even as she felt the warmth and weight of the ring against her lips, she felt a stronger weight against her chest. Her hand moved of its own accord, ready to wrap around the silver circle that dangled from the chain, only to close around nothing.

Her eyes blinked down and glanced down to the place where the necklace should have been. But it too was gone, leaving only a phantom crushing weight against her chest.

She squeezed Daniel's ring tightly in her palm, focusing all her energy into holding onto it, even as it dug into her skin. But she felt no pain, only numbness. The true pain was in her chest and she knew, even as she tried to ignore it, that it wasn't Daniel that her heart mourned for now.

"No." She spoke aloud to the room, shaking her head and forcing the hand at her chest to unclench and move. "No."

Carefully placing Daniel's ring back in its spot, she moved from the room with determination. She stopped only briefly to grab her coat from the closet in the foyer before she continued on her way, determined now more than ever to see things through to the end. It was the only way to get rid of these ridiculous notions of a life that would never – could never – be.

Her mother's words rang in her ears as she climbed into her Mercedes, and she nodded, muttering them under her breath as she went.

"Love is weakness."

* * *

And Regina Mills refused to be made weak, even by her own mind.

The station was empty, except for the lone figure in the cell, curled up in a ball on the cot. For a moment, Regina saw the young girl from all those years ago, curled up and crying out for a mother that never came, a mother that Regina could never truly replace no matter how much Snow tried.

She shook her head and curled her fingers around the bars, enjoying the cold sting of the metal. Snow had lost her mother, but because of that, Regina had lost everything. Now, finally, she would win.

"They say only the guilty sleep in prison." She hissed, watching as Mary Margaret flinched awake.

"What are you doing here? Where's Emma?" Mary Margaret's eyes searched the room, widened slightly in panic. Regina smirked.

"Not here. No, there's only us here now – you and me."

"What do you want, Regina?" Mary Margaret's voice was timid and shaking with fear. This broken woman was a far cry from Snow White, but Regina didn't care. It would do. It would do just fine.

"What do I want?" Regina laughed, the sound hollow and empty. "I want you to pay for what you've done."

"But I haven't done anything." Tears slid down Mary Margaret's cheeks and Regina tried to thrill in them, but the emotion wouldn't come. Instead, it was that same numbness from the house. "I didn't kill Kathryn. Regina, please."

Regina ignored the begging, but she couldn't stop the words from filtering through. _I didn't kill Kathryn._ No, for all her sins, for all that she had done, for all that she had taken away, and for all that she had killed, Mary Margaret Blanchard – Snow White – had not killed Kathryn.

Kathryn, whose face suddenly flashed across Regina's mind's eye, laughing as she called after a tiny version of herself to not run in the house. Kathryn, who had considered Regina a friend when no others had. Kathryn, whose blood, as Emma had said, was not on Mary Margaret's hands, but instead on her own. She had sealed Kathryn's fate for her own selfish purposes. And now, standing here, watching Mary Margaret beg and plead and cry, she couldn't even find the pleasure in it.

"I want justice." And she did. Wanted it so much that she had ripped her own father's heart out, creating a void that would never be filled.

But it had been filled. For a brief, shining moment, there had been no pain and no hatred, no emptiness. There had been only happiness, not only for herself, but for everyone. For Mary Margaret, though it rankled, and for Kathryn – beautiful, alive Kathryn, who doted over her and cared about it.

"Justice? Watching an innocent suffer?" Mary Margaret's voice cut through her thoughts, grating once again.

"You've always seen yourself that way, haven't you? Innocent." She spat the word. Mary Margaret was not innocent. Snow White was not innocent. Daniel had been innocent.

Kathryn had been innocent.

No. She couldn't think about that. Couldn't think about her and what had happened. Couldn't think about Kathryn's heart being ripped out, just like her father's had been.

"I am innocent!" Mary Margaret cried, leaning forward as though trying to make Regina understand. "Please, Regina, I don't know what this is about. I don't know what I ever did to you, but I'm sorry! I truly am."

And she didn't know. Mary Margaret knew nothing of what it was that she had done. She had no idea that Regina was finally, finally winning. Was that why this victory felt so empty?

"Apology not accepted." She snarled.

"Please." Mary Margaret's hands come up as though to grasp Regina, but stopped short and fell beside her. "I don't deserve this."

Regina's hand slipped through the bars, moving over Mary Margaret's cheek and wiping away a tear that had fallen. Then her fingers clenched around Mary Margaret's chin and she pulled her up against the bars, holding tight until she squirmed in pain and protest.

"Oh, but you do deserve this." Regina whispered, the words cutting, even as she found herself wishing that Mary Margaret knew exactly why she deserved it.

"What the hell?" Emma's voice cut through the moment and a second later, a hand was on Regina's pulling her away. "Regina, get away from her!"

"Emma." Mary Margaret cried in relief, but it was overshadowed by a louder cry for the sheriff.

"Emma!" Ruby was screaming, her face filled with fear. "She – she's outside."

"What? Ruby, who's outside? What happened?" Emma asked, but Ruby had collapsed into a chair and was still shaking. "What the hell is going on today?" She mumbled as she quickly headed for the door. Regina followed behind her.

"Oh my god," Emma murmured as she took in the sight of the body lying on the sidewalk just outside the police station. She moved closer and carefully flipped her over, sucking in a breath in shock as she did.

"Kathryn," Regina gasped, taking in the sight of her. She was dirty and visibly frightened, but alive, oh so alive. Living and breathing and Regina couldn't stop the tears that suddenly flowed down her cheeks at the thought that it wasn't too late, that Kathryn was alive and that there was still a chance for a little version of her to run and laugh and play with – no. She stopped the thought only by surging forward and wrapping her arms around Kathryn's frail frame. "Kathryn! Oh thank god. Kathryn."

Kathryn cried, too, then, clinging to Regina tightly as she sobbed. "Regina. You're here. Regina. I got out. I got out."

"Yes, yes," Regina murmured, her hand moving over the ratty tangles that were Kathryn's hair. It felt more like a victory than anything else that day had. "I'm here. You're safe. You're safe. You're alive and you're safe." The words were as much a reassurance to herself as they were to Kathryn.

"Regina," Emma's voice broke through her thoughts, though it was soft and quiet. "We really need to get her to a hospital. Get her checked out and figure out what the hell happened here."

Regina blinked hard and then nodded. "Yes. Yes, of course."

Emma knelt down next to them, her moves slow and her voice still soft. "Kathryn, it's Emma. Regina and I are going to take you to the hospital, okay? So that we can make sure that you're not hurt."

Kathryn's grip on Regina tightened in fear but she nodded when Regina gave her a watery but reassuring smile. Emma stood and moved towards her cruiser before she stopped and turned to Regina. "Can we use your car?"

Regina's brow wrinkled. "Of course, but…"

Emma's eyes darted to the backseat of the cruiser, to the cage that separated the back from the front. "I think it'd be better… you can ride with Kathryn in the back and… it'll be better."

Regina realized what Emma was getting at and was amazed at the forethought she had shown. Regina never would have thought how Kathryn might feel, trapped again, even if someone she trusted – no matter how misplaced that trust was, Regina thought with not a little self-loathing – was with her. But Emma seemed to understand and Regina felt her heart cracking open just a bit then.

"Yes. Yes. Of course." She handed the keys to Emma, not even protesting that she be the one to drive, and carefully helped Kathryn into the back of the car.

* * *

"You really care about her, don't you?" Emma asked when they had been regulated to a waiting room while Whale looked Kathryn over. She had promptly passed out in the car after knowing that she was safe again.

"Of course I do," Regina replied, but it had none of the venom with which had once responded to a similar question.

Emma tilted her head, studying Regina. "I thought – it was your skeleton key under Mary Margaret's mattress – hell, you were threatening her and clearly enjoying her being behind bars – but your reaction to Kathryn… You really thought she was dead, didn't you?"

"Yes." There was more anguish in the word now that she could think about what she had almost done. She hadn't cared then what happened to Kathryn, only about getting revenge, getting justice. But at what cost?

"Shit." Emma hissed, running her hands through her hair.

"Sheriff Swan?" Regina questioned, her eyebrow raised.

"Not only did they frame Mary Margaret, they framed you for framing her. Jesus."

Regina blinked in surprise. She would never have thought that Emma would jump to that conclusion, although she supposed in a way it was true. Gold had certainly made sure that things could be traced back to her and now that he'd apparently let Kathryn go, she was sure he assumed that Emma would go after her next.

It was what they did. This game of cat and mouse, of one-upmanship that had been going on for far too long. She always had to be on her toes, always calculating her next step, while Gold pulled the strings and made her twitch. But it didn't have to be that way, did it? If she gave him Belle…

Regina shook her head. "Well, in any case, Kathryn is alive and apparently unharmed. Miss Blanchard has been cleared. I suggest we focus on the positive."

"You? Suggesting we focus on the positive? Who are you and what have you done with Regina?" Emma asked, although there was a hint of teasing in her voice.

_"Maybe it just seems that way because back in your Storybrooke you aren't happy. Or you don't let yourself be happy."_

Regina shrugged as the words echoed in her mind. "Maybe finding out that Kathryn's alive has me looking on the bright side today."

Emma offered her a small smile. "Well, whatever the reason, I think that it suits you."

Before Regina could reply, Dr. Whale entered the waiting room to let them know that Kathryn was awake and ready for visitors. As Emma headed towards the room, Regina couldn't help but think that maybe this was her second chance.

Maybe the other world hadn't been real, but maybe the lesson had been. Maybe she didn't have to be The Evil Queen forever.

With that thought, she followed after Emma.

* * *

Emma spoke with Kathryn briefly, but there wasn't much Kathryn could tell her. Between the car accident and the drugs in her system, everything was hazy and confused at best. All Kathryn knew was that she had been held captive somewhere, but had never gotten a look at her captor. "I'm sorry I can't remember more."

"Don't be. It's understandable." Emma soothed.

"But you thought I was dead." Kathryn protested, still shocked by that news.

"And we'll sort that all out later. For now, you need to rest, and I need to go let Mary Margaret out of jail."

"Mary Margaret? You thought Mary Margaret –"

Emma just shook her head and offered a smile that was more of a grimace. "You're alive. That's the important thing. Get some rest."

"Thank you, Sheriff." Kathryn nodded as she watched Emma leave. Then she turned to Regina. "They really thought that Mary Margaret had killed me?"

"Well, there was some evidence that was fairly damning and… with the… situation it didn't seem that much of a leap…"

"But I left David the letter…"

Regina frowned as she remembered the joy she'd taken out of watching the letter go up in flames. She repressed a shudder. "I'm so sorry, Kathryn."

"Oh, Regina, please, don't be. None of this is your fault." Kathryn assured and Regina's stomach turned. "And you've been so wonderful since I got back. Thank you for helping to take care of me."

"It was the least I could do." Regina found she couldn't look at Kathryn. "But I really should go and let you get some rest."

Kathryn grabbed Regina's hand before she could go. "Thank you. You really are a wonderful friend, Regina."

Regina blinked back tears and managed a quick smile before she pulled away. "Rest well, dear." Then she quickly hurried out of the room and the hospital all together.

As she stepped out into the weather, she shuddered against the cold and shoved her hands into her coat pockets. Her right hand hit something and her fingers curled around the offending material, pulling it out of the pocket with a frown.

She stopped short as she took in the wrinkled and folded, yet very familiar, piece of paper clutched in her grasp. The paper blew in the breeze as Regina carefully unfolded it, a gasp falling from her lips at the sight before her.

For a moment, she thought it had started to rain but then realized that the droplets of water landing on the paper and sliding over the slightly smudged teal letters that spelled out the words "My Family" were her own tears.

"It was real." She whispered to the wind.


	13. Chapter 12

Regina didn't know how long she stood outside the hospital, just staring at the drawing that Eva had made, but eventually, her scattered thoughts were interrupted by Emma's voice.

"Regina? You okay?"

Regina jumped and quickly folded the paper back up before Emma could see what was on it. She stuck it into her pocket, but found herself unable to make her fingers release it. "I – yes." She blinked, only then realizing that tears were still sliding down her cheeks.

"You sure?" Emma leaned down to catch her eyes. "You're crying. Is it your head? Are you not feeling well? Maybe there's an issue with your concussion. I can take you back in to Dr. Whale and –"

"No." Regina shook her head. "No. I'm fine. It's just been… an overwhelming day."

Emma smiled sympathetically then. "Yeah, I guess it has." She rocked back on her heels and stuck her hand into her own jacket pocket before remembering why she'd come back and approached Regina in the first place. "Uh, so I came back because I realized that I still had the keys to your car in my pocket when I left for the station. Figured you wouldn't get very far without them."

"Thank you, Sheriff." Regina said as she reached out to take the keys with her free hand.

"If you want, I can drive you home." Emma offered, her fingers still around the keyring. "I mean, it's been a long day, like you said, and you're probably tired, so…"

She almost said yes, but found herself shaking her head at the last minute. As much as she wanted to accept Emma's offer, she knew that being around the other woman wasn't what she needed right now. She needed time to clear her head and figure out the roller coaster that she'd been on the last few days. "It's quite alright. I can make it home just fine."

"Right." Emma nodded, releasing the keys and stepping back. "Well, uh, be safe getting home and… I'll see you around."

Regina watched her go and couldn't help but call out. "Miss Swan? I truly appreciate the offer."

Emma smiled softly over her shoulder before she continued on her way.

* * *

Henry was sitting in the living room, the book open on his lap, when Regina made it home.

"Where were you?" He called out accusingly as he heard her heels in the hallway. "Dr. Hopper had to walk me home because you didn't –" He stopped as he took in the sight of his mother, tear tracks still visible on her cheeks. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Henry, I'm so sorry." Regina frowned, wondering how she could've forgotten to pick Henry up from his therapy appointment. "I was at the hospital and –"

"The hospital? What? Why? What's wrong?"

Regina thought she detected a hint of concern, but couldn't be sure that it wasn't just her own longing she was projecting. "I was there with Kathryn. She was found this morning, injured, after escaping her kidnapper."

Henry jumped up from the couch, the book falling to the floor. "Wait, Mrs. Nolan is alive? That means that Miss Blanchard didn't kill her. She was framed!"

"Yes." Regina nodded. "That's what Sheriff Swan thinks."

Henry tilted his head, staring at her. "But then…" He seemed to think better of what he was originally going to say – something that Regina was sure would go along the lines of 'why aren't you in jail for framing her?' – and instead went in a different direction. "Why are you crying?"

Regina's hand went up to her cheeks, brushing at the tear tracks, suddenly ashamed that Henry had seen them. "It's been a very emotional day. I'm relieved that Kathryn isn't dead, but upset that she was hurt in the first place."

Henry blinked. "I've never seen you cry before."

She didn't have a response to that, so she just continued to look at Henry.

"Like, ever." He pressed, still looking at her as though she was a puzzle to be figured out.

Her shoulders sagged. She didn't know what to say to that, what he wanted from her. "Henry."

He seemed to hear the weariness in her voice and let it go. "So it isn't your head?"

"No. I'm fine now. I'll still need to be cautious and not overdo things, but I'm fine."

"Oh." Henry deflated a bit. "So Emma's not staying over tonight, then?"

His disappointment – his want for Emma and not her – hurt. "No."

He turned to pick up his book. "Henry." She sighed, exasperated. "I'm your mother."

He looked up at her and she forced herself to be prepared for the blow that was about to land.

"So is Emma."

It didn't hurt as much as the outright denial of her place in his life would have. Small favors, she supposed. Her eyes fell to the open page in his lap, the depiction of her at Snow's wedding in all her Evil Queen glory.

"I'm not the Evil Queen." She whispered.

He looked up at her and she could've sworn there was pleading in his gaze, although for what, she didn't know. "Then why don't you want me to be happy?"

"Henry! Of course I want you to be happy. That's all I want!" Why couldn't he see that?

"If that's true, why do you keep me away from her?" He truly seemed to be struggling to understand. "Emma makes me happy. That's her job." He pressed.

"To destroy the Evil Queen." She sighed, already knowing what he thought about 'The Savior'.

"To make people happy!" He shot back at her. "Emma's gonna bring back the happy endings. That's why she's here."

That gave her pause. She'd never heard him say something like that before – he'd always been so adamant about Emma coming to fight the final battle and destroy her – and the words tickled at the back of her mind.

There was something there, just out of reach, that she needed to grasp. But what?

Henry heaved a great sigh, closing the book and hugging it to his chest. "I'm going to bed."

She wanted to stop him, but she was just too tired. So she watched him walk away from her yet again instead.

"Goodnight, Henry." She called after him, when he was up the stairs.

He didn't reply.

* * *

That night, Regina dreamt that she was standing in the doorway, watching Henry tell Eva the story of The Queen and the White Knight again. She could see them, snuggled together, but couldn't quite make out what they were saying.

Suddenly, Henry looked up at her and offered her a mischievous grin. "It's true," he whispered, but his words were loud and clear to her. "It's all true."

Regina woke, wondering what exactly Henry had been telling her was true.

* * *

The diner was bustling when Regina entered it and she took a moment to scan the faces that she passed by as she made her way from the door to the counter to place her order. She took note of people that she never would have considered before, but the hazy memories of her time with them in the other world caused her to slow down and take a second look.

Madelyn Gardner stood in front of her, having just placed an order, and Regina wondered for a moment where Gwendolyn was, before she remembered. In this reality, Gwen was kept locked away under Madelyn's watchful eyes. She was sure the woman would be taking her order home to share with the sister she never allowed out of her sight.

Regina glanced from the counter – where Ruby leaned, looking miserable with a coffee pot in her hand, and Madelyn stood with a scowl on her face, her Manolos tapping impatiently on the tile – to the booth where Michael sat with Ava and Nicholas, all three looking tired and rather depressed.

A flash of them all gathered around a table, laughing as Madelyn – no, Maddy – leaned against Michael and Ruby and Gwen's heads pressed together suddenly shot through her mind. It was strong and vivid, not cloudy and hazy as her other thoughts had been.

_Emma's gonna bring back all the happy endings!_

Henry's words echoed over the scene, before Emma's voice floated back into her brain, loud and clear.

_Ever think maybe there's more than one way to break a curse? Or better yet, maybe there was more than one curse that needed broken._

Regina startled. What if that was it? What if that was the answer in this world too? She'd cursed them all to a land without happy endings. What if Emma wasn't coming to destroy her, but to give her – to give all of them – their own happy endings? Wasn't that what she'd seen in the other world? Happy endings.

But in the other world, things had progressed differently. They hadn't gone the same here. Could they still? Could Madelyn and Michael still be brought together? Would the outcome be the same?

She looked from the booth to the counter once more and then gave a small decisive nod. It couldn't hurt anything to try, could it?

With that thought in mind, Regina moved away from the counter and back outside to where Madelyn's Lincoln was parked.

* * *

"What in god's name?" Madelyn's enraged voice floated across the street to Regina ten minutes later. Regina smiled for a moment before schooling her features and quickly crossing back over to where Madelyn stood.

"Something the matter, Madelyn?" Regina asked innocently as she approached.

Madelyn's eyes narrowed as she turned to look at the mayor. "Yes, something is the matter. My car has been vandalized!" Madelyn gestured at her car tires, which had all obviously been punctured through the sidewalls.

"Oh my. I wonder who could've done such a thing?"

Madelyn glared at Regina, her voice dripping with venom. "Yes. I just wonder. Who would've been out here, alone, and had the opportunity to do this? And why would they want to?"

"I can't imagine, dear. But I'll call Sheriff Swan right away to look into it." Regina smiled a fake politician's smile. "And in the meantime, you happen to be in luck."

"How do you figure that?" Madelyn growled.

"Well, it just so happens that Michael Tillman is right inside the diner. I'm sure if you go in and talk to him, he can get your car towed and new tires put on it right away."

Madelyn looked from Regina to her car to the window of the diner where she could see Michael still sitting in his booth. "How very convenient."

"Isn't it though?" Regina smirked. "Come along, dear. Let's go speak to Mr. Tillman."

* * *

"Mr. Tillman, just the man we were looking for." Regina greeted, stopping at his booth and ignoring the way that both Ava and Nicholas seemed to shrink back from her. Michael, for his part, looked like he wanted to crawl under the table and hide.

"Madam Mayor. What can I do for you today?"

"Actually, it isn't for me. It's for my dear friend Madelyn. Have you two met?" She moved out of Michael's line of sight and watched in amusement as his eyes widened when they took in Madelyn.

"Uh – uh, no. I can't say I've had the pleasure." He offered up a smile.

"Yes, well, it seems like you will now. Madelyn –"

"It would appear," Madelyn spoke through clenched teeth, "that I am in need of your assistance."

Michael jumped up from the booth. "Of course, ma'am. How can I help you?"

"Ma'am?" Madelyn's eyebrow lifted as she finally deigned it acceptable to look Michael over. "Just how old do you think I am?"

"Uh – I didn't – I mean, I wasn't – I don't think –" Michael stuttered and both his children rolled their eyes.

"He talks like that all the time." Nicholas offered when Michael continued to flounder. "He says it's the polite and respectful way to address a lady."

Madelyn's eyes moved from Michael to Nicholas, taking in the boy. "Is that so?"

"Yes, ma'am." Nicholas nodded and Madelyn smiled.

"Well, in that case," she turned back to Michael, offering him an almost genuine smile this time, "it would seem that someone has vandalized my car. Regina assures me she has the Sheriff looking into it, but I'm in need of new tires in the meantime."

"Oh wow. Well, sure. Sure, I've got some stuff back at the garage that should be perfect. I'll just go get it hooked up to the truck, so I can get those tires changed."

"While your father does that, perhaps you two would like to get Madelyn settled in the tow truck, hmm?" Regina said to Ava and Nicholas.

They looked at each other for a few moments before they both just shrugged.

"Sure, why not? C'mon." Nicholas stood from the booth and Ava followed suit.

Regina watched the four of them as they headed outside, Madelyn flanked by Ava and Nicholas.

"You four have fun now," she called softly after them.

* * *

Regina entered the house with a smile playing on her lips. Ava and Nicholas had been chatting away to Madelyn in the tow truck while Michael divided his time between hooking her car up and sneaking glances at her when Regina had left the diner with her cup of coffee to go. She didn't know exactly what would happen with her little matchmaking scheme, if anything, but she was hopeful that something would spark. Everyone deserved a chance at happiness, she realized now. She could allow others to be happy, because in doing so, she was opening herself up to happiness too.

"Henry?" She called, heading toward the living room where she could hear the television playing. "What would you like for –"

She stopped abruptly as the sound of the television filled her ears.

" _When people keep repeating_  
 _That you'll never fall in love"_

Her eyes widened as she stepped forward, staring at the screen to see what was playing out.

" _When everybody keeps retreating_  
 _But you can't seem to get enough"_

Suddenly, instead of the movie playing out on the screen, she could see Emma, cross legged on the bed with Eva on her lap, holding a beat up old guitar while tiny fingers strummed out the melody.

" _Let my love open the door"_

She could hear Emma's voice singing the words, instead of the men on the screen. She could feel the weight of Henry and Eva against her, feel the warmth of the blankets and the love surrounding her.

" _Let my love open the door_  
 _Let my love open the door_  
 _To your heart"_

She blinked and the movie came back into focus. Her throat suddenly felt dry and she could feel tears pricking her eyes. She swallowed hard before speaking.

"What is this movie?" Regina found she couldn't take her eyes away from the screen where a man was playing a guitar and singing that song – their song.

"Dan In Real Life." Henry replied, looking at her curiously. "Why do you look so weird?"

"What?" Regina's eyes snapped away from the television to take in Henry.

"You're looking at the TV like you just saw a ghost." Henry pointed out, taking in the shocked expression and paling of his mother's face.

"I – I was simply wondering what this movie was rated." Regina grasped for a reason to be listening and watching so intently.

Henry's eyes suddenly found the coffee table very interesting. "Uh, well…"

"Henry!" Regina scolded. "Are you watching a rated R movie?"

"No!" Henry was quick to defend. "It's not rated R, I swear."

"But it's not rated PG either, is it?" Regina caught on to what her son wasn't saying.

"Uh…"

"Henry, what have I told you about watching movies that are rated PG-13?"

"I'm not allowed without you watching with me because I'm still under 13." He parroted back, sounding exasperated. "But, Mom, it was on television so how bad could it be?"

"It was on cable, where there are plenty of bad things that you can watch. You know my rules, Henry."

He huffed and fell back against the couch, looking thoroughly disappointed – and disgusted – with her. Regina's heart tugged at his expression, as well as the sound of the man who was singing's voice breaking on the movie.

" _I have the only key to your heart_  
 _I can stop you from falling apart_  
 _Release yourself from misery_  
 _Only one thing's gonna set you free."_

"Release yourself from misery," she murmured, remembering all that the other Emma had said about opening herself up to love and happiness.

And then she thought of the dream, of Henry telling her "it's true". The story, she realized suddenly, was what he had been trying to tell her was true. She'd thought Henry had been embellishing things for Eva, changing details to make it more palatable for his little sister, but he hadn't been. The story Henry told was the truth of that reality. By opening herself up that day at the mine – by inviting Emma back to dinner with them instead of pushing her away – she had changed everything. Was it too late to do the same thing now?

"What?" Henry looked up at her, the remote control held in his hand, ready to flip away from the movie, even though he really wanted to know how it ended.

"Nothing. I just –" She shook her head and then offered Henry a wide smile. "What do you say that we eat dinner and then after you can watch the movie - the whole movie this time - with parental guidance?"

"You mean with you." Henry corrected, but he didn't shut the idea down outright.

"Yes. And perhaps…" Henry's eyes snapped to hers. "Perhaps your other parent might wish to join us as well."

"Emma? You mean it?" Henry sounded overjoyed.

"If she's amenable to the idea." Regina did her best to hide the sudden butterflies that were swarming in her stomach at the idea and instead sound calm.

A small body slammed into hers, hugging her tightly around the waist. It wasn't the same as when Eva had done it – this body was bigger and stronger – or when the other Henry had done it – he had been taller and held on in a way that was more secure, less gripping – but the reaction, the love and joy it brought out, were the same. "Thank you. Thank you!" Henry murmured into her stomach.

Regina held him to her for a moment before releasing, pleased when he didn't pull away automatically but instead held on for a few more seconds. It felt like the bridge that had been burned was slowly being repaired and the void was being filled. There was more work to do and things were still missing, but it was slowly beginning to heal. They were beginning to heal. "Are you going to call her now?"

"Yes." Regina pulled her phone out and looked down at the keypad after taking in Henry's hopeful expression one more time.

Her fingers trembled over the numbers as they dialed and her breath caught at the sound of the first ring.

The call connected.

"Miss Swan," she greeted as usual, but the words were choked. She swallowed and then breathed, " _Emma._ "

The affirmative urged her on.

"How would you like to come have dinner and then watch a movie with Henry and me? By any chance, have you seen Dan In Real Life?"


	14. Epilogue

**

EPILOGUE

**

_**And oh, the peace,** _   
_**The blessed peace...** _   
_**At last you come to know**  _

**

Emma woke to the feeling of fingers threading softly through her hair. "Mmm." She murmured, rolling over and slowly opening her eyes to take in the sight of the woman in the bed beside her. Henry was still tucked against her other side and Eva was still snuggled on her chest, but it was the look in Regina's eyes and the way she smiled as she mouthed the word "hi" that had Emma sitting up, wide eyed.

"It's you!" She gasped, tears filling her eyes.

Regina smirked, as she rolled her eyes. "You were expecting someone else, dear?"

"Yes. No. I - it's you. It's really you." Emma's hand landed on Regina's cheek, stroking the skin there as the tears slid down her own cheeks. "You're really here."

"Of course I'm here. Emma, what's wrong?" Regina was taken aback by Emma's reaction, by the tears and the way she was looking at her as though she hadn't seen her in years.

Emma swallowed hard, trying to capture her thoughts. "You weren't here. Not for a while. Someone else was."

Carefully, Regina shifted Eva off her chest so that she too could sit up. "What do you mean someone else was?"

Emma reached out and grabbed Regina's hands, hanging onto them tightly, reveling in the fact that she could feel the current that had always flowed between her and Regina. "It was you but - a different you. From a different world."

"Emma -"

"Regina, I'm serious. She came through Jefferson's hat from a different Storybrooke and somehow ended up here."

Regina blinked at that information. While Emma might joke around sometimes, this wasn't the type of thing that she'd tease Regina about. "Wh - but - why did she come here?"

"I don't know." Emma shrugged and then proceeded to explain all of what she knew about the other Regina, never once letting go of her Regina.

Regina frowned as Emma explained that in another world, they weren't together. She thought of how hard it was at the beginning when Emma first showed up, of how the darkness had threatened to take over her. Emma had managed to break through her barriers here, but it wasn't that impossible to think of a world where that wasn't the case - where she'd resisted instead of giving in.

She thought of the way Henry had been back when Emma had first come to Storybrooke and how it was only when she'd started to let Emma in that he'd started to let her back in too. If there was another world where she'd never let Emma in, then it was entirely plausible that Henry had never let her back in either. Her chest ached for that Regina, for that part of her that had been too afraid of opening up and had probably lost so much because of it.

"She must've gone back. Whatever was keeping her here, it must've gone away. Right?" Emma searched her eyes, concern for the other version of Regina shining through them.

"I'm sure that's what happened. You know as well as I do that magic is unpredictable here. If she came though the hat, it's very possible that something triggered the portal and sent her back."

"But back to what?" Emma frowned. She was all too aware of the fact that in another life, her counterpart was not with Regina.

"Back to you and Henry - or her versions of you, anyway. Back to her second chance."

"Second chance?" Emma's eyebrow raised, even as her face lit up with the possibility Regina had just suggested. "You think she pursued her version of me when she got back? You think they got together?"

Regina nodded. "Oh, I'm sure of it."

"But how do you know that?"

"Because, dear. She is a part of me. And once she experienced this," Regina motioned to the bed, to Henry and Eva and Emma herself, "I know that she would stop at nothing to get to keep it for herself. This is our happy ending, no matter what world we are in."

Emma found she couldn't argue with that.


End file.
